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UNIVERSITY   OF   CALIFORNIA 


Received  September., ...    ...i8s5. 

Accessions  No.  2~*?0      Shelf  No. 


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'.EMITTED  EILUGAS  CPANACH 


BBABTIN  UUTIHIEIK 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS; 


OOKTAINI1KJ    A    BTATBMBHT    OF  THE 


ORIGIN,  DEVELOPMENT,  DOCTRINES,  FORMS  OF  WORSHIP 
AND  GOVERNMENT 


i0tts   Denominations 

IN  THE  WORLD. 


BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICES    OP    EMINENT    DIVINES. 


SAMUEL  M.  SCHMUCKER,  LL.D. 

REVISED   AND   ENLARGED 

BY  CHARLES  DREW. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  QUAKER  CITY  PUBLISHING  HOUSE, 

Nos.   217  AND  219   QUINCE  STREET. 

E,  H.  PARMELEE  <fc  CO.,  CINCINNATI,  O. 

1872. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1859,  bjr 
DUANE    RDLISON, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States,  in  and   fi» 
the  Eastern  District  of  Pennsylvania 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,"n  the  year  1870,  oy 

DUANE   RULISON, 
In  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


PREFACE. 


THE  design  of  the  following  work  is  essentially  different 
from  that  of  other  publications  on  the  same  subject,  which 
already  exist.  The  larger  and  more  extensive  of  these  are 
composed  of  articles  on  the  Religious  Sects  in  the  United 
States,  which  were  written  by  members  of  the  several  de- 
nominations described,  and  are  often  expanded  into  im- 
mense length  by  reiterated  and  familiar  arguments  in- 
tended to  demonstrate  the  truthfulness  and  Scriptural 
authority  of  the  Sects  to  which  the  respective  writers  be- 
longed. This  method  of  treatment  is  much  better  suited 
to  works  on  Polemic  Theology,  than  to  those  which  pro- 
fess merely  to  contain  a  statement  of  opinions  and  a  narra- 
tive of  events.  On  the  other  hand,  the  smaller  works 
which  have  appeared  on  this  subject  are  superficial  and  in- 
complete ;  being  generally  made  up  of  very  short  articles, 
of  clippings  from  Encyclopedias  and  Biographical  Diction- 
aries ;  and  are  utterly  unfit  to  convey  even  to  the  general 
reader  a  satisfactory  idea  of  the  various  subjects  which  come 
under  consideration. 

(3) 


PREFACE  TO  THE  PRESENT  EDITION. 


In  offering  this  revised  edition  to  the  public,  the 
Publishers  have  deemed  it  best  to  allow  the  numerical 
strength  of  the  different  sects  and  denominations  to  re- 
main unaltered — the  statements  being  based  upon  the 
Census  of  1860.  It  is  futile  to  attempt  to  keep  pace 
with  the  changing  numbers.  Any  figures  which 
might  be  given  to-day  would  be  incorrect  to-morrow, 
and  so  on  from  time  to  time.  The  statistics  can  easily 
be  ascertained  from  the  periodical  publications  of  the 
different  societies.  The  Old  and  Kew  School  Presby- 
terian bodies  have  been  consolidated  into  one  organiza- 
tion, so  that  the  distinctions  maintained  in  this  work 
are  not  strictly  correct ;  but  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
many  will  regard  the  causes  of  separation  with  great 
interest,  and  will  desire  to  refer  to  some  trustworthy 
account  of  the  differences,  the  subject  is  allowed  to 
remain  unchanged,  believing  that  the  book  will  be 
more  valuable  on  this  account. 

The  recent  great  changes  in  our  relations  and  com- 
munications with  the  Chinese  and  Japanese  have  in- 
creased the  interest  in  these  peculiar  peoples.  A  full 
account  of  their  religious  creeds  and  ceremonies  seemed 
to  be  demanded,  and  it  has  accordingly  been  prepared 
with  great  care  from  the  best  sources,  expressly  for 
this  work,  and  will  be  found  exceedingly  interesting. 
That  the  work  will  long  continue  a  standard  autho- 
rity, and  be  a  blessing  to  mankind,  is  the  wish  of 

THE  PUBLISHERS. 
August,  18*71. 


CONTENTS. 


Abelians,  or  Abelites 112 

Abyssinian  Church 112 

Adventists 284 

Anabaptists,     or    "Munster 

Baptists  " 37 

Antinomians 152 

Arians 186 

Armfnians 65 

Associate  Reformed 108 

Athanasians 181 

Atheism 329 

Baptists 38 

Bereans 136 

Brahmins 36 

Brownists 37 

Buddhists 36 

Calixtins 193 

Calvinists 193 

Campbellites 250 

Catholics,  Roman 7 

Chinese 259 

Christian  Connection 320 

Church  of  God 306 

Church  Government 332 

Cocceians 198 

Congregationali  sts 54 

Come-Outers 236 

Copts 318. 

Covenanters 302 

Cumberland  Presbyterians...  277 


Deism 329    Labbadists 


Disciples 250 

Druses , 134 

Dunkers 143 

Dutch  Reformed 83 

Episcopal,  Protestant 124 

Evangelical  Alliance 135 

Evangelical  Association 186 

Flagellants 254 

Friends,  Orthodox 58 

Fratres  Albati 254 

French  Prophets 255 

Free-Will  Baptists 114 

Free  Communion  Baptists....  112 

German   Seventh  -  Day   Bap- 
tists   308 

German  Reformed 31 

Gnostics 199 

Greek  Church 137 

Hicksite  Quakers 51 

Hopkinsians 230 

Huguenots 94 

Humanitarians 119 

Hutchinsonians 240 

Jansenists 213 

-Japanese 264 

Jesuits 214 

Jews 145 


257 


(5) 


CONTENTS. 


Lamaism 

Latitudinarians 

Libertines 

Lutherans,  Evangelical 

Mahommedans 

Manicheists 

Maronites 

Materialists 

Mennonists 

Methodists,  Episcopal 

Methodists,  Protestant 

Millerites 

Millenarians 116, 

Monophysites 

Monothelites 

Montanists 

Mormons 

Moravians 

Mystics 


PAGE 

36 
258 
258 

19 

171 

249 

133 

285 

142 

72 

282 

284 

265 

35 

35 

35 

98 

67 

139 


Nestorians 241 

New  Jerusalem  Church 45 

Origenists 244 

Paganism 325 

Pantheism 327 

Pelagians 243 

Pre-Existents 271 

Presbyterian  Reunion 165 

Presbyterians,  Cumberland..  277 

Presbyterians,  New  School...  81 

Presbyterians,  Old  School....  155 

Presbyterians,  Reformed 302 

Progressive  Friends 311 

Protestants....                        ..  328 


Puritans 328 

Puseyites 290 

Quakers 58,  311 

Quietists 247 

Reformed,  German 31 

Reformed,  Dutch 88 

Reformed,  Associate 108 

Reformed,  Presbyterian 302 

Religions  of  the  World 333 

St.  Simonians 79 

Six  Principle  Baptists 142 

Servetians 206 

Shakers 216 

Socinians 204 

-Spiritualism 323 

Seventh-Day  Baptists 150 

Swedenborgians 45 

Theophilanthropists 94 

Tractarians 290 

Unitarians 167 

United  Brethren 67 

United  Brethren  in  Christ...  132 
Universalists 169 

Wesleyan  Methodists 281 

Wilkinsonians 138 

Winebrennerians 306 

Whippers 115 

Yesidees ;    or,    Worshippers 
of  the  Devil 329 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES. 


Rev.  Charles  Wadsworth 334 

Rev.  J.  B.  Dales 337 

Rev.  Albert  Barnes 341 


Rev.  W.  H.  Furness  347 

Rev.  John  Wesley 352 


CECIL    CALVERT,     SECOND    LORD    BALTIMORE,    FOUNDER    OP 
CATHOLIC  CHURCH  IN  UNITED  STATES.— Page  7. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


THE  ROMAN   CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

THE  career  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  in  the 
United  States  commenced  in  the  winter  of  1633,  when 
Lord  Baltimore  landed  with  a  number  of  immigrants  near 
the  mouth  of  the  river  Potomac  in  Maryland.  He  had 
obtained  the  charter  of  the  colony  of  Maryland  from 
Charles  L,  with  the  avowed  intention  of  colonizing  a  new 
province,  of  which  his  brother,  Lord  Calvert,  was  to  be 
the  Governor.  The  great  majority  of  the  immigrants  who 
accompanied  these  noblemen  were  Roman  Catholics.  The 
first  act  of  the  Governor  after  landing  was  to  erect  a  cross 
upon  the  shore.  He  himself  was  a  Catholic  ;  the  whole 
administration  of  the  colony  was  in  the  hands  of  the 
Catholics;  the  laws  which  subsequently  controlled  the 
community  were  enacted  and  administered  by  Catholics  ; 
and,  therefore,  it  is  with  great  truth  asserted  that  the  State 
of  Maryland  was  first  established  by  members  of  the  Cath- 
olic Church.  Contemporary  with  the  founding  of  the  col- 
ony were  also  the  introduction  and  establishment  of  the 
Catholic  Church  and  religion. 

The  colony  of  Maryland  was  governed  by  laws  of  the 
most  liberal  description.  Lord  Calvert  enacted  that,  in 
the  civil  government  of  the  colony,  there  should  be  an 
absolute  equality  of  rights  extended  to  all  religious  per- 


8  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

suasions,  and  that  religions  liberty  and  toleration  should 
be  one  of  the  fundamental  principles  upon  which  that  com- 
munity should  ever  afterward  exist,  and  be  conducted. 
The  Assembly  of  the  Province,  composed  for  the  most  part 
of  Roman  Catholics,  passed  an  "Act  Concerning  Reli- 
gion," by  which  it  was  ordained  that  no  person  within  the 
limits  of  the  colony  should  be  compelled  in  any  way  to 
the  belief  or  observance  of  any  particular  form  of  reli- 
gion ;  and  that,  provided  they  did  not  conspire  against  the 
civil  authority,  no  one  should  be  interfered  with  in  any 
way,  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  most  absolute  religious  lib- 
erty. This  policy  is  in  strange  contrast  with  the  usu- 
al course  pursued  by  this  church,  which  in  general  is 
very  jealous  of  other  denominations,  and  it  is  in  direct 
conflict  with  the  decrees  of  the  council  of  Lateran, 
which  goes  so  far  to  enjoin  as  a  duty  the  extermina- 
tion of  heretics. 

The  religious  services  of  the  Catholic  Church  in  Mary- 
land began  on  the  23d  of  March,  1634,  when  the  first  mass 
was  celebrated  on  the  Island  of  St.  Clement,  in  the  river 
Potomac.  The  priests  who  accompanied  the  Maryland 
colonists  were  Jesuits ;  and  from  that  hour  till  the  present 
time,  the  Catholic  community  in  Maryland  has  continued 
to  be  numerous  and  influential ;  although  in  the  progress 
of  time  the  influx  of  residents  and  settlers  from  various 
other  States  and  from  Europe,  who  were  Protestants, 
gradually  and  without  resistance  withdrew  from  them  the 
authority  of  the  State,  constituted  a  majority  of  voters, 
and  divorced  the  administration  of  the  colony  from  the 
possession  and  supremacy  of  its  original  holders.  This 
state  of  things  existed  at  the  commencement  of  the  Amer- 
ican Revolution. 

"While  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  was  thus  taking  firm 
root  in  Maryland,  her  doctrines  and  worship  wrere  being 
gradually  introduced  in  various  places  throughout  the  orig- 
inal thirteen  States,  and  elsewhere  on  the  American  con- 
tinent. From  1634  till  1687,  Catholic  missionary  priests 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  9 

chiefly  Jesuits,  were  traversing  the  immense  region  which 
exists  between  Canada  and  the  present  site  of  New  Orleans. 
A  Jesuit,  Claude  Allouez,  explored  the  then  unknown 
southern  shores  of  Lake  Superior.  Another  Jesuit,  Mar- 
quette,  discovered  the  mouth  of  the  Missouri  River.  A 
third,  Menan,  preached  among  the  Mohawk  Indians.  Other 
members  of  the  same  order  missionated  among  the  Onon- 
dagas,  the  Oneidas,  the  Senecas,  and  the  Miamis.  During 
a  hundred  years  this  quiet  and  gradual  process  continued. 
Meanwhile,  Catholics  were  emigrating  into  the  various 
States  from  all  the  countries  of  Europe ;  and  Catholic 
churches,  generally  small  in  the  beginning,  were  erected, 
which  were  supplied  and  visited  by  missionary  priests  as 
often  as  they  were  able,  who  thus  administered  the  rites, 
and  kept  up  the  celebration  of  the  services  of  the  Church. 
"  Father  Formei "  was  one  of  the  first  and  most  celebrated 
Catholic  missionaries  in  Pennsylvania.  "Father  Rasle" 
was  equally  distinguished  for  his  apostolic  zeal  in  Maine. 
Cardinal  Cheverus  was  renowned  for  his  sanctity  and  use- 
fulness in  Massachusetts.  Bishop  England,  at  a  later  day, 
was  renowned  throughout  the  Southern  States,  especially 
in  South  Carolina,  for  similar  qualities  and  similar  achieve- 
ments. Archbishop  Carrol  was  a  worthy  patron  and  ad- 
vocate of  the  Church  of  Maryland.  The  first  Episcopal 
See  established  in  this  country  was  that  of  Baltimore ; 
and  the  Rev.  John  Carrol  was  elected  and  consecrated  as 
its  first  prelate.  This  event  took  place  on  August  15th, 
1790,  after  the  Catholic  priests  of  the  province,  amount- 
ing at  that  period  to  twenty-four,  had  convened,  and  after 
due  deliberation  had  chosen  Dr.  Carrol  as  the  most  suita- 
ble person  to  wear  the  Episcopal  mitre,  and  therefore  had 
commended  him  to  the  Pope  for  consecration.  Dr.  Car- 
rol received  twenty-two  votes  out  of  the  whole  number. 
Subsequent  to  this  period  the  Sees  of  New  York,  Phila- 
delphia, Boston,  and  Bardstown,  were  successively  estab- 
lished, as  the  growth  of  the  Church  seemed  to  require. 
Several  very  eminent  men  have  figured,  and  still  flourish 
in  the  more  recent  history  of  the  Church.  The  late 


10  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

Archbishop  Hughes,  of  New  York,  who  was  formerly 
pastor  of  St.  John's  Church,  in  this  city,  was  justly 
esteemed  as  one  of  the  most  able,  sagacious,  and  eloquent 
churchmen  of  the  present  time ;  and  whose  rise  from 
poverty  and  obscurity  to  distinction  and  influence,  by  the 
sheer  force  of  his  superior  talents  and  personal  merits, 
constitutes  one  of  the  most  interesting  and  remarkable 
episodes  in  American  history.  Another  very  able  Catho- 
lic prelate,  Archbishop  Kenrick,  of  Baltimore,  formerly 
Bishop  of  this  diocese,  was  a  man  of  more  profound 
and  extensive  erudition  than  Dr.  Hughes,  and  occupies 
an  equally  elevated  position  in  the  Church ;  but  was  his 
inferior  in  popular  eloquence,  in  dexterity  and  craft,  and 
in  the  efficiency  with  which  he  promotes  the  interests  and 
extension  of  the  Church. 

The  Roman  Catholic  religion  is  pre-eminently  a  ritual 
one.  Forms  and  ceremonies  occupy  a  prominent  place 
in  her  public  worship  and  her  private  religious  usages. 
Earnest  and  enthusiastic  Protestants  call  the  Church  of 
Home  the  great  drag-net  of  Christianity,  by  which  they 
mean  that,  as  that  Church  descended  the  stream  of  time 
until  the  Reformation,  she  collected  and  preserved,  as  she 
went  along,  all  sorts  of  rites,  observances,  superstitious 
conceits,  doctrinal  imaginings,  and  perversions,  which  the 
peculiar  circumstances  of  each  successive  age  and  country 
may  have  originated  and  introduced ;  and  that  she  has 
preserved  them  all,  by  incorporating  the  whole  of  them, 
without  selection  or  rejection,  into  her  present  established 
and  now  unalterable  form  of  worship,  belief,  and  govern- 
ment. We  will  leave  our  readers  to  judge  for  themselves 
of  the  truth  or  the  falsehood  of  this  compliment.  Since 
the  period  of  the  Council  of  Trent,  however,  which  com- 
menced its  sittings  in  the  year  1545,  no  change  whatever, 
either  in  doctrine,  or  in  government,  or  in  ritual,  has  been 
introduced.  The  Decreta  of  that  memorable  assemblage 
fossilized  the  church,  so  that  no  change  will  ever  again  occur 
in  anything  that  concerns  her,  except  it  be  in  violation  of 
her  wishes,  and  by  persons  hostile  to  her  real  genius.  The 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  11 

only  alteration  which  has  been  made  during  three  centu- 
ries in  the  doctrinal  system,  or  credenda  of  the  Church, 
has  been  the  acknowledgment  and  proclamation  of  the 
dogma  of  the  Immaculate  Conception  of  the  Virgin  Mary, 
which  has  recently  been  promulgated  at  Rome  as  one  of 
irhe  established  principles  of  the  true  faith. 

What,  then,  are  the  chief  doctrines  which  are  taught 
*y  the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and  which  are  implicitly 
end  universally  believed  by  the  "faithful"  everywhere  ? 

In  every  system  of  religious  belief  the  doctrine  con- 
cerning G-od,  the  Supreme  Being,  lies  at  the  foundation  of 
?,ii  the  rest.  The  existence  of  God,  then  his  attributes, 
men  his  works,  and  then  his  providence,  are  the  first  and 
Tandamental  points  which  are  discussed,  determined,  and 
adopted.  Thus  it  is  in  regard  to  the  doctrinal  system  of 
the  Romish  Church.  The  first  point  is  that  concerning 
God,  (De  Deo^)  and  on  this  subject  she  teaches  what  Pro- 
testants term  the  Orthodox  view  of  the  Divine  nature  and 
being.  She  believes  that  God  is  self-existent,  eternal, 
supreme,  infinite  in  wisdom,  goodness,  justice,  immutable, 
omnipresent,  and  omnipotent.  At  the  same  time  she 
teaches  that  while  there  is  but  one  true  God,  that  single 
being  is  composed  of  three  separate  and  divine  persons — • 
the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost — who  exist  to- 
gether in  a  mysterious  and  inexplicable  manner,  constitu- 
ting one  single  essence,  yet  composed  of  three  divine  and 
separate  persons,  who  perform  different  and  distinct  func- 
tions. She  teaches  that  the  second  person  in  the  Trinity, 
the  Son,  proceeds  by  an  eternal  procession  from  the 
Father  ;  and  that  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  third  person  in  the 
Trinity,  proceeds  by  an  equally  eternal  procession  from 
both  Father  and  Son.  She  teaches  that  the  Son  descended 
from  Heaven  to  earth,  assumed  human  nature,  in  conjunc- 
tion with  the  nature  of  the  Infinite ;  that  he  taught,  suf- 
fered on  the  cross,  and  died  for  human  guilt  in  order  to 
avert  the  vengeance  of  God  incurred  by  the  fall  of  Adam, 
by  man's  inherited  and  original  sin,  and  by  his  actual  and 
habitual  rebellion  against  the  Divine  law.  The  Catholic 


12  HISTORY   OF   ALL  RELIGIONS. 

Church  teaches  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  "  Comforter1' 
promised  by  Christ  to  his  disciples ;  and  that  this  Spirit 
is  sent  by  the  Father  into  the  hearts  of  the  faithful.  This 
Spirit,  thus  sent  by  the  Father,  is  coequal  in  every  respect 
with  the  Father.  It  is,  in  truth,  the  Infinite,  Omni- 
present Jehovah,  who,  on  one  occasion,  took  the  form  of 
a  dove,  and  descended  visibly  on  Christ.  At  another  time 
the  Infinite  Jehovah  assumed  the  appearance  of  flames  of 
fire,  as  at  Pentecost,  and  thus  sat  visibly  on  the  heads  of 
the  disciples. 

Next  in  dignity  to  the  Godhead,  in  the  Catholic  system, 
is  the  Virgin  Mary.  Innumerable  prayers  and  petitions 
are  offered  to  her,  and  she  is  invoked  in  all  parts  of  the 
world  at  the  same  time.  Hence  we  may  infer  that  she  is 
supposed  to  possess  the  attribute  of  Omnipresence ;  else  it 
were  vain  to  pray  to  her  in  more  places  than  one  at  the 
same  time.  But  Omnipresence  is  an  attribute  which  be- 
longs to  God  alone ;  and,  therefore,  the  ascription  of  it 
to  the  Virgin  Mary  seems  like  the  ascription  to  her  of  a 
portion  of  the  Divinity.  She  is  called,  moreover,  the 
"  Mother  of  God  ;"  and  those  who  make  objection  to  this 
title  are  answered  thus :  "  Mary  was  the  mother  of  Christ, 
was  she  not  ?"  "  Yes."  "  Christ  was  God,  was  he  not  ?" 
"Yes."  "Then,  surely  Mary  is  the  mother  of  God." 
But  the  obvious  reply  to  this  reasoning  is,  that  Mary  was 
the  mother  only  of  Christ's  human  nature ;  and,  there- 
fore, even  though  Christ  were  God,  the  union  of  a  human 
and  divine  nature  in  Christ  did  not  extend  the  maternity 
of  Mary  to  both  natures.  It  would  be  utterly  impossible, 
for  many  reasons,  for  Mary  to  have  been  the  mother  of 
Christ's  divine  nature ;  because  no.  finite  human  being  can 
give  existence  to  an  infinite  being,  any  more  than  a  pint 
measure  can  possibly  hold  a  quart.  Moreover,  the  Catho- 
lic Church  teaches  that  Christ,  as  God,  created  all  things : 
hence  he  created  Mary ;  and  if  Mary  was  the  mother  of 
his  divine  nature,  she  actually  gave  birth  to  the  same 
Omnipotent  Being  who  created  her ; — and  therefore  Mary 


HISTORY   OP  ALL   KELIGIONS.  13 

is  not,  and  cannot  be,  the  mother  of  God.  She  was 
simply  the  mother  of  the  man,  Christ  Jesus. 

Recently  the  Catholic  Church,  by  her  highest  authori- 
ties, has  decreed  the  Immaculate  Conception  of  the  Virgin 
Mary ;  and  this  doctrine  is  now,  as  we  have  said,  a  portion 
of  the  belief  of  the  Church.  A  large  portion  of  the  ritual 
is  devoted  to  prayers  offered  to  her ;  and  in  one  place  the 
same  expressions,  addressed  to  her  with  slight  variations, 
are  repeated  forty  times.  In  truth,  the  invocation  of 
saints  occupies  no  insignificant  position  in  the  worship  of 
Catholics ;  and  doubtless  many  are  encouraged  and  com- 
forted by  the  idea,  that  their  interests  are  promoted  by  the 
interposition  and  the  prayers  of  the  good  arid  wise,  who 
have  gone  before  them  to  the  land  of  spirits,  and  have  al  • 
ready  explored  its  solemn  mysteries. 

The  inspired  authority  of  the  Scriptures  is  one  of  the 
leading  tenets  of  the  Catholic  Church :  yet  she  contends 
that,  though  inspired,  the  Scriptures  are  in  themselves  in- 
sufficient, incomplete,  and  defective ;  and  that  the  aid  of  Tra- 
dition is  necessary  in  order  to  constitute  the  whole  sum  of 
Christian  truth  and  doctrine.  By  Tradition  is  meant  the 
oral  teachings  and  sayings  of  the  Apostles,  which,  though 
not  committed  to  writing  by  themselves  or  by  their  imme- 
diate successors,  were  repeated  from  one  person  to  another, 
and  by  this  means  communicated  to  the  whole  Church. 
Thus  Paul  says  to  Timothy :  "  The  things  which  thou 
hast  heard  from  me,  before  many  witnesses,  the  same  com- 
mit to  faithful  men,  who  shall  be  fit  to  teach  others  also." 
2  Tim.  ii.  2.  The  chief  argument  used  by  Catholics  in 
favor  of  Tradition  is,  that,  by  the  use  of  Scripture,  all  the 
various  sects  may  prove  and  establish  their  various  and 
contradictory  opinions  ;  whereas,  Tradition  is  uniform  and 
harmonious  in  defending  only  those  doctrines  which  are 
held  and  taught  by  the  Catholic  Church.)  Protestants,  OR 
the  other  hand,  retort  to  this  assertion,  that  Tradition  is 
more  variable,  contradictory,  and  diversified  in  its  teach- 
ings, than  even  the  Scriptures  ;  and  if  this  argument  has 


14  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

any  weight  against  the  authority  and  sufficiency  of  the 
Scriptures,  it  has  much  more  weight  against  Tradition. 

The  doctrine  of  the  Catholic  Church,  in  reference  to 
the  Church  herself,  is  peculiar.  She  believes  greatly  in 
the  external  organization,  the  visible  form,  the  outward 
crust  of  religion,  which  is  termed  the  Church ;  and  holds 
that  immense  authority,  prerogative,  and  sanctity,  have 
been  conferred  upon  her,  as  a  separate  and  distinct  entity, 
by  Christ  himself.  Roman  Catholics  believe  that  the 
Church  is  entitled  to  absolute  obedience  from  her  members  , 
and  of  course,  in  this  connection,  obedience  to  the  Church 
means  obedience  to  the  priesthood — for  who  ever  heard 
of  the  priesthood  obeying  the  laity  ?  And  this  doctrine 
is  based  on  the  words  of  Christ  addressed  to  the  Apostles  : 
"  Whosoever 's  sins  ye  remit,  they  are  remitted."  But 
the  question  naturally  arises,  whether  this  authority  to  for- 
give sins,  like  that  of  working  miracles,  was  not  confined 
to  the  Apostles  only.  The  Catholic  believes  in  the  Unity 
and  Universality  of  his  Church.  All  theological  writers, 
in  treating  of  the  attributes  of  the  Christian  Church,  in- 
variably enumerate  these  two  qualities  as  being  fundamen- 
tally essential  to  the  existence  of  the  true  Church ;  where- 
as, every  one  who  knows  anything  of  the  history  of  Chris- 
tianity during  all  past  ages,  knows  perfectly  well  that  there 
never  was  a  time  when  any  church  or  denomination  pos- 
sessed either  perfect  Unity  or  Universality.  Even 
previous  to  the  Reformation,  the  Catholic  Church  could 
not  boast  of  Unity ;  for  in  every  age  there  were  diver- 
sities of  opinion  and  differences  of  doctrine.  Even  exter- 
nal Unity,  the  dryest,  deadest,  and  most  worthless  of  all, 
was  never  completely  possessed ;  and  sometimes  the  ex- 
ternal divisions  of  the  Catholic  Church  were  carried  even 
to  the  popedom,  the  supreme  head  of  the  Church,  the  in- 
fallible source  of  all  authority ;  and  as  many  as  three  rival 
and  hostile  Popes  existed  at  one  and  the  same  time,  who 
fulminated,  fumed,  and  cursed  away  against  each  other. 
As  to  Universality,  it  would  be  difficult,  we  think,  to  prove 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  15 

that  any  religious  sect  possesses  it  at  the  present  time,  or 
ever  possessed  it. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Church  teaches  that  she  is  infalli- 
ble, and  cannot  err,  in  matters  of  faith.  This  opinion  is 
defended  by  the  following  arguments :  that  Christ  pro- 
irised  to  his  disciples  that  the  Spirit  of  all  truth  should 
remain  with  them — she  infers  that  this  promise  was  in- 
tended to  apply  not  only  to  the  apostles,  but  also  to  their 
successors ;  that  Christ  appointed  Peter  as  the  foundation 
of  the  Church,  and  that  therefore  if  the  gates  of  hell  are 
not  to  prevail  against  her,  she  must  have  some  infallible 
protection  against  falling  into  error.  This  infallibility 
centres  in  the  Pope  as  the  head  of  the  Church  on  earth ; 
though  unfortunately  the  Popes  have  at  different  times 
decreed  directly  contradictory  decisions.  To  obviate  this 
difficulty,  a  large  proportion  of  eminent  theologians  in  the 
Catholic  Church  have  contended  that  this  infallibility  did 
not  belong  to  the  Pope  alone,  but  to  the  Pope  in  conjunc- 
tion with  a  general  or  oecumenical  Council.  But  suppose 
the  Pope  and  the  Council  differ,  as  has  repeatedly  been  the 
case,  how  then  ?  The  Protestant  answers,  in  fact,  that 
the  history  of  the  Church  proves  that  there  has  been  as 
much  disunion  and  difference  of  belief  among  Catholics  as 
among  other  religionists ;  and  that  this  results  from  the 
fundamental  laws  of  the  human  mind,  which  lead  to  differ- 
ences of  opinion  in  spite  of  all  authority. 

The  Roman  Catholic  Church  has  seven  sacraments, 
while  nearly  all  other  sects  have  only  two.  The  seven 
Roman  Catholic  sacraments  are,  Baptism,  the  Lord's 
Supper,  Confirmation,  Penance,  Extreme  Unction,  Holy 
Order,  and  Matrimony.  The  most  important  of  these 
sacraments  in  the  estimation  of  the  laity,  is  the  JEJucharist, 
or  Lord's  Supper.  Catholics  believe  that  the  bread  or 
wafer,  after  being  consecrated  by  the  officiating  priest,  is  the 
body,  blood,  and  divinity  of  Christ,  and  that,  as  there  are 
at  one  single  period  of  time  myriads  of  consecrated  wafers 
distributed  over  various  countries  of  the  earth,  the  body  of 
Christ  is  necessarily  divided  and  subdivided  into  an  infinite 


16  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

number  of  portions,  and  received  by  the  faithful  every- 
where, while  at  the  same  time  that  body  remains  unmuti- 
lated  in  heaven.  In  other  words,  the  doctrine  of  tran- 
substantiation,  as  held  by  Roman  Catholics,  is  a  mystery — 
a  thing,  the  mode  of  which  cannot  be  explained  and  de- 
fended to  the  satisfaction  of  common  sense  ;  which  is 
indeed  revolting  to  every  dictate  of  common  sense;  but 
which  must  be  received,  if  received  at  all,  by  the  exercise 
of  a  submissive  and  obedient  faith.  We  must  believe  that 
it  is  so,  because  the  Church  teaches  that  it  is  so  ;  and  to 
many  sincere  minds  this  is  sufficient  and  satisfactory 
authority.  The  chief  text  of  Scripture  on  which  this  doc- 
trine is  based,  is  that  in  Matthew  xxvi.  26-28,  where 
Christ  says  :  "  Take,  eat,  this  is  my  body,"  and  giving  the 
cup,  said :  "  This  is  my  blood  of  the  New  Testament, 
which  is  shed  for  the  remission  of  sins."  A  consecrated 
wafer  is  constantly  kept  on  the  altars  of  the  churches,  and 
hence  it  is  that  Catholics  suppose  that  they  are  in  the  im- 
mediate presence  of  God  while  they  are  in  church ;  and 
therefore  they  kneel  to  the  wafer  on  the  altar  frequently, 
when  entering  and  leaving  the  church,  or  when  passing 
from  one  side  of  the  sanctuary  to  the  other.  If  indeed  it 
be  true  that  the  great  Creator  and  Sovereign  of  the  uni- 
verse, or  even  a  small  fraction  of  him,  is  reposing  on  the 
altar,  it  is  certainly  proper  enough  to  kneel  to  him,  when 
in  his  direct  presence.  And  it  cannot  be  denied  that 
this  view  of  the  thing  leads  to  a  much  greater  appearance 
of  devoutness  and  solemnity  in  Roman  Catholic  Churches, 
than  is  to  be  seen  in  the  churches  of  any  other  denomina- 
tion of  Christians. 

The  sacrament  of  Penance  is  connected  with  the  duty 
of  Auricular  Confession.  It  is  the  popular  notion  that 
Catholic  priests  claim  the  power  absolutely  to  forgive  sins ; 
but  though  the  laity  may  entertain  this  opinion,  the 
Church  herself  does  not  teach  it.  Her  doctrine  really  is, 
that  after  a  sin  has  been  sincerely  repented  of  and  entirely 
forsaken,  and  after  it  has  been  fully  and  freely  confessed 
to  the  priest,  then  the  latter  is  empowered  to  forgive  it, 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  17 

and  remit  the  penalty  which  might  otherwise  have  followed 
it.  St.  James  says  :  "  Confess  your  sins  to  one  another ;" 
and  on  the  authority  of  this  passage  the  Confessional  is 
based.  But  the  Protestant  here  objects  that  these  words 
plainly  enjoin  a  mutual  confession  of  each  other's  faults, 
whereas  no  priest  ever  confessed  to  a  layman.  Confession 
5.3  always  required  in  the  Catholic  Church  before  going  to 
/r.e  Lord's  Supper.  A  portion  of  Penance  consists  in 
satisfaction — satisfaction  to  God,  and  satisfaction  to  the 
Church,  whom  the  penitent  has  offended.  Sometimes  the 
y-riost  sees  fit  to  relax  the  rigor  of  the  Church,  and  remit 
a  portion  of  the  penance  or  satisfaction  which  would  other- 
wise be  enjoined.  This  is  called  an  indulgence.  Old 
Tetztl  once  did  a  thriving  business  in  selling  these  indul- 
gences for  money,  until  Luther  arrested  his  course,  and 
"  made  a  big  hole  in  his  drum,"  which  silenced  it  forever. 
The  abuses  which  existed  in  the  sixteenth  century,  in 
reference  to  these  indulgences,  led  to  the  first  outbreak  of 
the  Reformation,  and  to  the  down-break  of  the  Papal 
Dower  throughout  a  large  portion  of  Christendom. 

Roman  Catholics  administer  Extreme  Unction  to  those 
about  to  die,  as  a  sacrament — a  rite  which  is  based  on  the 
words  of  St.  James :  "Is  any  sick  among  you,  let  him 
call  for  the  elders  of  the  Church,  and  let  them  pray  over 
him,  anointing  him  with  oil,  in  the  name  of  the  Lord." 
Th3  Church  also  regards  Marriage  as  a  sacrament ;  mean- 
ing thereby  that,  when  the  ceremony  is  performed  by  a 
Catholic  priest,  a  vow  is  thereby  made  to  God,  which  can- 
not be  dissolved.  Hence  the  Church  does  not  permit  full 
divorces  for  any  cause,  even  for  those  specified  and  allowed 
by  the  law  of  the  land.  Yet  the  Popes  have  frequently 
granted  dispensations  for  divorces,  whenever  the  interests 
of  the  Church  were  promoted  by  them,  thus  apparently 
making  a  fundamental  law  and  principle  subservient  to 
interest.  But  the  church  permits  limited  divorces,  or 
separations  a  mensa  et  thoro. 

The  Invocation  of  Saints  occupies  a  very  prominent  place 
in  the  worship  and  religious  exercises  of  the  Catholic 


18  EISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

Church ;  for  the  reason  that,  if  pious  friends  and  relations 
when  on  earth  pray  for  those  whom  they  love,  it  is  a  rea- 
sonable inference  that  they  would  continue  so  to  do,  here- 
after, in  Heaven.  Of  the  truth  and  propriety  of  this 
view,  there  can  be  no  doubt ;  yet  whether  this  considera- 
tion justifies  us  in  offering  them  our  prayers,  when  in 
another  world,  is  a  question  on  which  men  will  be  disposed 
to  differ. 

Of  Purgatory,  or  the  intermediate  state  between  death 
and  judgment,  the  Catholic  Church  teaches,  that  the  jus- 
tice of  God  will  not  punish  those  whose  sins  are  of  a 
trivial  nature,  to  the  same  severe  extent  as  those  who  are 
guilty  of  the  most  enormous  crimes.  Hence,  as  Hell  is 
believed  to  be  composed  entirely  of  the  elements  of  brim- 
stone and  teeth-gnashing,  without  any  grades  of  misery 
or  diversity  of  torment,  another  place  named  Purgatory 
has  very  opportunely  been  discovered,  where  minor  trans- 
gressions are  disciplined  by  a  lighter  and  more  equitable 
punishment ;  so  that  when  their  venial  sins  have  been  suffi- 
ciently suffered  for,  the  purified  spirits  will  be  admitted  to 
Heaven. 

A  portion  of  the  public  services  of  the  Catholic  Church 
is  celebrated  in  Latin.  The  reason  of  this  is  because  the 
liturgy  of  the  Church  was  anciently  composed  in  that  lan- 
guage, and  a  just  reverence  for  antiquity  induces  her  to 
retain  the  form  in  which  her  prayers  were  originally 
uttered.  In  this  country  all  the  prayers  are  translated 
into  English  and  printed,  in  the  people's  editions,  together 
with  the  Latin.  The  Mass  is  a  series  of  Latin  prayers, 
during  the  utterance  of  which  the  consecrated  host  is  of- 
fered to  God  by  the  officiating  priest.  The  term  Mass 
itself  is  derived  from  the  concluding  words  of  this  solemn 
and  imposing  rite,  which  are  "Ite,  missa  est."  In  the 
great  cathedral  churches  of  Europe  the  ceremonies  con- 
nected with  this  portion  of  Catholic  worship  are  solemn, 
imposing,  and  sublime  in  a  pre-eminent  degree,  and  the 
spectacle  has  often  led  the  most  thoughtless  and  irreverent 
minds  to  pious  and  penitent  emotions. 


MAETIX  LUTHER  PREACHING. — Page  19. 


HISTORY  OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  19 

Notwithstanding  the  prevalence  of  Protestant  sects  and 
churches,  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  is  still  more  numer- 
ous than  any  other  single  denomination.  Her  members 
may  be  said,  at  a  rough  guess,  to  amount  to  a  hundred 
millions.  In  the  United  States  they  have  increased  with 
a  steady  and  rapid  pace  during  the  last  fifty  years,  till  at 
the  present  time  they  are  one  of  the  leading  denomina- 
tions. The  spirit  of  this  ancient  and  venerable  church  is 
aggressive,  and  her  aspirations  for  extension  never  cease. 
But  we  believe  that  all  those  fears  which  some  timid  Pro- 
testants profess  to  entertain,  of  future  danger  to  Ameri- 
can liberty  from  the  encroachments  of  the  Church  of 
Rome,  are  most  preposterous  and  absurd ;  for  that  Church 
has  enough  to  do  to  protect  and  preserve  her  own  inte- 
rests and  security,  without  having  any  means,  even  if  she 
possessed  the  will,  to  interfere  with  the  rights  and  inte- 
rests of  others. 

EVANGELICAL  LUTHERAN  CHURCH. 

ONE  of  the  oldest  of  the  Protestant  churches,  and  in 
Europe  one  of  the  most  distinguished,  is  the  Evangelical 
Lutheran.  There  are  probably  more  historical  incidents 
of  interest  and  importance  connected  with  the  early  career 
of  this  sect,  than  belongs  to  any  other.  The  name  or 
title  by  which  they  are  designated — the  term  Lutheran — 
was  first  applied  to  them  by  their  opponents,  the  Roman 
Catholics.  When  Luther  met  Dr.  John  Eck,  the  Romish 
theologian,  in  his  celebrated  debate  at  Leipsic,  1519,  the 
latter  endeavored  to  stigmatize  the  friends  of  the  Reformer, 
and  to  turn  both  him  and  them  into  ridicule,  by  calling 
them  Lutherans,  in  opposition  to  Catholics  and  Christians. 
The  term  thus  used  in  the  first  instance  as  one  of  reproach, 
became  universally  prevalent  among  the  enemies  and 
friends  of  the  new  sect ;  and  it  has  since  become  renowned 
and  esteemed  for  the  honorable  and  memorable  associa- 
tions connected  with  it.  The  other  title  which  Lutherans 
apply  to  themselves — that  of  Evangelical — is  the  one 


20  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

which  Luther  and  his  followers  originally  claimed,  when 
they  abandoned  and  renounced  what  they  held  to  be  the 
errors  and  abominations  of  the  Romish  Church. 

The  birth  of  the  Lutheran  denomination  may  with^some 
fitness  be  dated  from  the  year  1507,  in  which  Luther  then 
a  monk,  and  twenty-four  years  of  age,  first  discovered  a 
Latin  Bible  among  the  rubbish  of  his  convent  library, 
from  the  perusal  of  which  he  derived  his  novel  and  then 
almost  unknown  ideas  in  reference  to  the  doctrinal  system 
of  Protestant  theology.  During  ten  years  he  continued 
to  investigate  and  study  the  Scriptures,  at  the  end  of 
which  period,  in  1517,  he  made  his  first  public  foray  into 
the  territories  of  Rome,  by  attacking  the  sale  of  Indul- 
gences, which  at  that  time  was  carried  on  by  Tetzel,  in 
the  vicinity  of  Luther's  residence.  Luther  refused  abso- 
lution, as  a  priest,  to  those  who  had  bought  forgiveness  of 
their  sins  with  money  from  Tetzel.  A  violent  controversy 
ensued  between  Luther  and  Tetzel,  in  reference  to  this 
business,  in  which  the  former  gained  an  overwhelming 
advantage.  His  violent  conduct,  however,  excited  the  in- 
dignation of  the  authorities  of  the  Catholic  Church,  and 
the  Papal  Court  decreed  that  his  writings  should  be  pub- 
licly burnt.  In  return  for  this  compliment,  Luther  col- 
lected together  some  of  the  standard  works  of  the  Romish 
Church  and  burnt  them,  together  with  the  condemnatory 
bull  of  the  Pope,  in  the  view  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  city 
of  Wittenberg.  To  punish  this  audacity,  the  Pope  fulmi- 
nated another  bull  or  decree,  excommunicating  the  refrac- 
tory and  contumacious  priest.  Thus  the  breach  was  made 
irreparable,  and  the  career  and  independence  of  the  new 
Beet  were  formally  and  publicly  begun. 

The  first  churches,  or  religious  organizations  connected 
with  this  new  sect,  were  established  in  Saxony.  The 
monarch  of  that  State,  the  Elector  Frederic,  became  a 
patron  of  Luther  at  the  commencement  of  his  career :  and 
as  the  Reformer  was  one  of  his  subjects,  being  professor 
at  Wittenberg,  his  favorite  University,  his  protection  was 
of  immense  value.  Soon  Reformed  and  independent 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  21 

churches  were  established  in  every  city  and  town  of 
Saxony ;  from  Saxony  the  new  faith  spread  rapidly  into 
Hanover,  Wurtemburg,  Prussia,  and  many  of  the  minor 
principalities  which  constituted  the  then  Germanic  Empire. 
The  views  of  Luther  even  extended  into  France  and  Eng- 
land, into  Denmark  and  Sweden  ;  and  it  may  with  truth 
be  asserted  that  the  most  potent  and  efficient  enemy  which 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church  has  ever  met  with,  during  the 
progress  and  vicissitudes  of  many  centuries,  was  "  Brother 
Martin,"  the  Monk  of  Eisleben,  the  illustrious  founder  of 
Lutheranism. 

The  history  of  the  Lutheran  Church  in  Europe  presents 
two  very  marked  and  prominent  features.  Her  conflicts 
have  been  divided  between  those  which  she  waged  with 
the  Church  of  Rome,  and  those  which  were  carried  on 
within  her  own  bosom  by  the  disputes  and  everlasting 
differences  of  her  own  members.  Debate  and  disturbances 
seem  indeed  to  have  been  the  natural  and  normal  state  of 
this  sect  during  their  whole  past  history.  Even  before 
the  death  of  Luther,  the  opinions  of  Melanchthon,  his  most 
intimate  and  trusted  friend,  became  so  widely  dissimilar 
from  his  own,  that  a  coldness  of  feeling  ensued  between 
them.  The  various  diversities  of  sentiment,  among  the 
Lutherans,  were  somewhat  harmonized  by  the  memorable 
Diet  at  Augsburg,  at  which  the  Confession  or  creed  known 
by  that  name  was  set  forth,  as  the  system  of  doctrine 
which  the  Lutheran  Churches  then  entertained.  At  a 
subsequent  period  efforts  were  made  to  terminate  the  dis- 
putes which  raged  between  the  Lutherans  and  the  Catholic 
Church ;  and  the  Reformers  prepared  a  revised  edition  of 
the  Augsburg  Confession,  called  the  Smalcald  Articles,  in 
which  some  concessions  were  made  toward  the  Romish 
system.  These  purposes  of  conciliation  ended  in  nothing. 
Luther  died  in  1546,  in  the  sixty-second  year  of  his  age, 
and  he  left  his  followers  an  inheritance  of  great  peril ;  for 
they  soon  became  involved  in  the  horrors  of  war  with  the 
Emperor  Charles  V.,  who  was  then  champion  of  the 
Romish  Church  and  of  its  supremacy.  The  Elector  of 


22  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

Saxony  and  the  Landgrave  of  Hesse  were  the  political 
and  military  heads  of  the  Protestant  party.  The  Emperor, 
suddenly  surrounded  by  the  armies  of  the  Protestants  at 
Innspruck,  in  1552,  was  compelled  to  make  some  impor- 
tant concessions  to  the  Protestant  leaders,  which  are 
known  by  the  epithet  of  the  Treaty  of  Passau.  The  Pro- 
testants eventually  wrested  from  the  Emperor  an  edict,  by 
which  he  finally  decreed  and  allowed  that  all  those  who 
had  adopted  the  Confession  of  Augsburg  should  thence- 
forth be  free  from  the  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  of  the 
Roman  pontiff,  and  were  at  perfect  liberty  to  ordain  laws 
for  themselves  in  reference  to  all  matters  pertaining  to 
their  religious  belief,  discipline,  and  worship ;  and  all  the 
inhabitants  of  the  German  Empire  should  be  permitted  to 
judge  for  themselves  in  religious  matters ;  and  that  who- 
ever should  injure  or  persecute  them,  or  any  of  them,  on 
account  of  their  opinions,  should  be  treated  as  enemies  of 
the  Empire,  and  disturbers  of  its  peace. 

At  a  subsequent  period  in  the  history  of  the  Lutheran 
Church,  another  creed  was  added  to  their  standards,  in 
addition  to  those  which  we  have  already  named,  in  order 
to  aid  in  healing  disputes  and  controversies  which  had 
arisen  among  her  members  and  her  theologians.  This  was 
called  the  Formula  of  Concord,  which  differs  in  some  re- 
spects from  the  Augsburg  Confession.  The  two  catechisms 
of  Luther,  the  Larger  and  the  Smaller,  also  hold  the  rank 
of  authority  with  the  members  of  this  sect ;  so  that  the 
symbolical  books  which  contain  their  creed,  when  taken 
altogether,  are  of  enormous  size  and  volubility.  The  con- 
sequence is  that  the  utmost  diversity  of  opinions  exists 
among  the  Lutherans  in  the  various  countries  of  Europe 
where  they  prevail.  Every  possible  shade  of  sentiment 
and  belief  can  be  found  among  them,  from  the  semi-Romish 
"  old  Lutheran,"  who,  like  Luther,  adheres  to  the  doc- 
trine of  consubstantiation,  to  the  semi-Infidel,  who,  like 
Strauss,  Paulus,  Rohr,  and  the  other  modern  rationalistic 
theologians  of  Germany,  deny  the  inspiration  and  mira- 
cles of  the  Scriptures.  In  this  country  the  same  tendency 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  23 

to  diversity  of  sentiment  exists  among  the  Lutherans, 
though  it  is  not  carried  out  to  the  same  extremes ;  and  a 
certain  degree  of  uniformity,  together  with  considerable 
liberty,  prevails  among  them  here. 

From  the  period  of  Luther's  labors  the  church  which 
be  represented  gradually  spread  over  a  large  part  of  north- 
ern Europe.  In  1525,  it  became  the  established  Church 
of  Saxony.  In  1527  the  Lutheran  doctrines  were  intro- 
duced into  Sweden,  with  the  sanction  of  the  monarch, 
Gustavus  Yasa  Ericson.  Lutheranism  was  introduced 
into  Denmark  in  1527,  under  the  reign  of  Frederic  L, 
whence  it  was  carried  into  Norway,  Lapland,  and  other 
countries  of  the  extreme  North.  During  the  progress 
of  half  a  century  after  Luther's  death,  his  doctrines 
were  proclaimed  by  able  and  learned  advocates  in  the 
Netherlands,  in  Poland,  in  France,  besides  in  all  those 
German  States  and  communities  which  we  have  already 
named. 

In  Europe  the  Lutheran  Church  is  at  the  present  time 
the  most  numerous  of  all  the  Protestant  sects.  Her  mem- 
bers number  eight  millions  in  Prussia,  two  millions  in 
Austria,  two  millions  in  Saxony,  one  million,  in  Wurtem- 
berg,  one  million  in  Hanover,  two  millions  in  the  smaller 
German  States,  two  millions  in  Denmark,  four  millions  in 
Norway  and  Sweden,  two  millions  and  a  half  in  Russia, 
half  a  million  in  Poland,  and  a  hundred  and  twenty  thou- 
sand in  the  Netherlands.  Lutheranism  is  the  established 
religion  in  more  separate  States  and  kingdoms  than  is  any 
other  Protestant  Church.  There  are  more  universities 
connected  with  this  denomination  than  any  other  Protes- 
tant sect  can  boast  of;  for  nearly  all  the  great  seats  of 
learning  in  Germany  exist  in  connection  with  that  sect, 
and  are  served  by  professors,  who,  for  the  most  part,  are 
Lutherans.  Yet  it  must  not  be  inferred  from  this  fact  that 
there  is  any  unity  of  opinion  among  these  numerous  asso- 
ciations of  learned  and  scientific  men  ;  for  their  belief  ex- 
hibits the  utmost  possible  differences.  It  no  more  implies 
unity  or  harmony  of  belief  between  people,  to  say  of  them 


24  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

in  Europe  that  they  are  all  Lutherans,  than  it  would 
imply  similarity  of  appearance  and  of  character,  to  say 
of  certain  other  people  that  they  were  all  Swiss  or  all 
Frenchmen. 

The  Lutheran  Church  in  Germany  has  produced,  during 
the  several  centuries  of  its  past  existence,  a  greater  num- 
of  learned  and  illustrious  scholars  than  any  other  sect, 
either  Romish  or  Protestant.  It  would  be  absurd  to  begin 
any  enumeration  of  even  a  portion  of  these  ;  for  they 
would  form  a  catalogue  of  many  hundreds.  Her  clergy 
in  Europe  are  the  most  learned,  as  a  body,  in  theological 
science,  of  any  sect  in  the  world.  At  a  time  when  candi- 
dates for  the  priestly  office  in  England  and  Scotland  were 
admitted,  without  their  being  able  to  understand  a  single 
word  of  the  Hebrew,  in  which  the  original  of  the  Old 
Testament  is  written — and  the  knowledge  and  interpreta- 
tion of  which  are  indispensable  to  every  well-read  theolo- 
gian, or  even  intelligent  preacher — at  that  time  the 
Lutheran  churches  in  Germany  required,  and  still  require, 
in  all  their  candidates  for  the  sacred  office,  a  perfect  ac- 
quaintance with  the  original  languages  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  an  equally  accurate  knowledge  of  every  other  depart- 
ment of  theological  science.  It  must  be  admitted  that  the 
three  most  influential  and  powerful  sects  in  Europe  at  the 
present  time,  and  since  the  Reformation,  have  been  the 
Church  of  Rome,  the  Reformed  Church  of  England,  and 
the  Lutheran  Church  in  Germany. 

We  will  now  proceed  to  sketch  the  history  of  this  last 
in  the  United  States,  and  set  forth  the  doctrines  and 
usages  which  now  predominate  among  her  members  and 
preachers. 

The  first  religious  assemblage  of  Lutherans  which  ever 
existed  in  the  United  States  was  composed  of  a  few  immi- 
grants from  Holland,  who  came  to  New  York  about  1630, 
a  few  years  after  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims  on  Plymouth 
Rock,  and  while  the  colony  of  New  York  still  remained 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Dutch.  They  belonged 
originally  to  the  small  community  of  Lutherans  who  lived 


HISTORY   OP  ALL   RELIGIONS.  25 

In  Holland,  and  who  fled  to  this  country  probably  to  es- 
cape the  horrors  of  the  Thirty  Years'  War,  which  at  that 
disastrous  period  threatened  to  exterminate  Protestantism 
from  Germany  and  the  Netherlands.  Their  first  minister 
was -named  Fabricius,  who  arrived  in  1669,  and  who 
preached  for  them  during  eight  years.  Thejr  first  church 
was  a  log  building  erected  in  New  York  in  1671,  for  which 
a  stone  edifice  was  afterwards  substituted. 

The  next  settlement  of  Lutherans  in  this  country  was 
that  of  the  Swedes  on  the  Delaware,  at  Philadelphia,  in 
1636.  They  continued  to  hold  their  religious  services  in 
their  native  language  for  many  years ;  after  this  the  pre- 
valence of  the  English  around  them,  the  difficulty  of  ob- 
taining native  preachers  from  Sweden,  and  the  fact  that 
the  other  then  existing  Lutherans  of  this  city  held  all  their 
public  exercises  in  the  G-erman  language,  induced  the 
Swedish  Lutherans  to  apply  to  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Churches  for  a  supply  of  ministers.  This  request  was 
readily  complied  with ;  and  the  consequence  was,  that  in 
the  progress  of  time  the  whole  congregation  were  trans- 
ferred to  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  were  formally  united 
with  that  body. 

The  German  Lutherans  commenced  to  immigrate  to  this 
country  about  the  year  1700,  and  gradually  spread  over  a 
large  portion  of  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  and 
Virginia.  In  1710,  three  thousand  of  them  came  from 
the  Palatinate  and  settled  in  New  York.  In  1733,  a  large 
number  established  themselves  in  Georgia,  at  a  place  which 
they  called  Ebenezer.  These  were  driven  from  Saltzberg, 
in  Bavaria,  by  the  persecutions  of  the  Jesuits,  who  then 
exercised  an  absolute  supremacy  in  that  kingdom.  This 
colony  was  supplied  with  native  ministers  from  Germany, 
and  they  have  ever  since  been  a  prosperous  and  highly 
respected  community.  When  George  Whitefield  traveled 
in  this  country,  he  visited  the  Lutheran  Churches  in 
Georgia,  and  was  much  pleased  with  their  piety  and  use- 
fulness ;  and  besides  preaching  for  them,  presented  them 
with  a  bell  for  one  of  their  churches,  as  a  token  of  his 


26  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

esteem.  The  descendants  of  these  people  still  adhere  to 
the  religion  of  their  forefathers,  and  are  connected  with 
the  flourishing  Lutheran  Synod  of  South  Carolina  and  the 
adjacent  States. 

The  most  numerous  and  prosperous  colonies  of  Lutherans 
were  located  in  Pennsylvania  ;  and  about  the  year  1742 
they  began  to  assume  their  first  importance  and  promi- 
nence in  the  community.  It  was  in  that  year  that  the 
great  patriarch  of  American  Lutheranism  reached  this 
country.  This  was  the  Rev.  Henry  Melchior  Miihlenberg, 
a  remarkable  man  in  every  respect,  one  of  the  most  useful 
and  distinguished  persons  in  the  history  of  this  sect  in 
this  country.  He  is  the  direct  ancestor  of  the  well-known 
family  of  Muhlenbergs  which  still  exists,  and  has  pro- 
duced several  men  of  eminence  in  the  pulpit,  in  politics, 
and  in  the  battle  field.  Previous  to  1742,  the  Lutherans 
in  Philadelphia  worshiped  in  connection  with  a  few  mem- 
bers of  the  German  Reformed  Church,  in  a  small  log 
house,  in  the  lower  part  of  Arch  street.  Miihlenberg, 
having  been  sent  out  from  the  University  of  Halle,  in 
Germany,  as  a  missionary  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  Lu- 
therans here,  immediately  commenced  his  labors,  and  these 
he  continued  with  great  success  during  nearly  half  a  cen- 
tury. He  was  admirably  adapted  in  every  respect  for  his 
difficult  post.  He  was  one  of  the  most  learned  men  of  his 
time,  and  could  preach  fluently  in  German,  English,  Dutch, 
French,  Latin,  and  Swedish.  He  was  also  thoroughly  versed 
in  Greek,  Hebrew,  and  several  of  the  cognate  Oriental  lan- 
guages. He  was  one  of  the  most  laborious  and  indefati- 
gable of  men.  Probably  no  missionary  every  toiled  in 
this  country  with  more  unremitting  effort  than  he.  Often 
he  preached  four  and  five  times  on  a  Sunday,  and  in  as 
many  languages.  He  traveled  extensively,  and  wherever 
his  services  were  needed  among  the  stray  communities  of 
Lutherans  through  the  middle  States,  he  was  prompt  and 
ready  to  bestow  them.  As  might  be  expected,  his  work 
prospered ;  he  himself  became  greatly  esteemed,  and  ac- 
quired an  immense  influence  in  the  community. 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  27 

Through  his  instrumentality  the  first  Lutheran  Synod 
which  ever  convened  in  this  country  was  held  at  Phila- 
delphia, in  1748.  At  that  time  there  were  only  eleven 
preachers  belonging  to  the  sect  in  the  United  States,  with 
fifteen  congregations,  and  a  community  of  fifty  thousand 
people.  During  the  Revolutionary  war  the  Lutherans 
were  zealous  in  the  support  of  the  cause  of  liberty.  A 
son  of  Dr.  Melchior  Miihlenberg  was  a  General  in  the 
Continental  army ;  and  the  Germans  were  prompt,  accord- 
ing to  their  means,  in  assisting  the  good  cause.  Zion's 
church,  their  largest  edifice  then,  and  even  still,  in  this 
country,  located  at  Fourth  and  Cherry  streets,  in  this 
city,  was  occupied  at  one  time  (in  1778)  by  the  British 
army  as  a  hospital.  Their  oldest  church,  that  of  St. 
Michael,  at  the  corner  of  Cherry  and  Fifth  streets,  was 
also  used  by  the  British  as  a  garrison  church  in  the 
morning  of  Sunday ;  though  the  congregation  were  allowed 
to  occupy  it  in  the  afternoon.  These  outrages  were  con- 
tinued until  the  final  expulsion  of  the  invaders  from  the 
precincts  of  the  city  of  Penn. 

After  the  Revolutionary  war  the  Lutherans  began  to  in- 
crease rapidly,  not  only  by  the  growth  of  their  native 
members,  but  by  foreign  immigration.  In  1786,  they  had 
about  twenty-five  ministers ;  and  the  number  of  the 
churches  and  pastors  gradually  grew,  until,  in  the  year 
1820,  the  most  important  event  in  their  career  which  ever 
occurred  in  this  country  took  place.  This  was  the  estab- 
lishment of  their  General  Synod,  by  which  the  five  or  six 
separate  District  Synods  which  had  previously  risen  into 
existence,  in  various  portions  of  the  country,  were  consoli- 
dated and  united  into  one  chief  body.  The  results  of  this 
arrangement  were  soon  felt,  and  were  found  to  be  highly 
beneficial.  The  General  Synod  served  to  give  harmony, 
consistency,  and  unity  to  the  various  portions  of  the 
church  which  were  scattered  over  the  several  States ;  and 
this  result  was  much  needed.  The  members  of  the  sect, 
who  immigrated  to  this  country,  came  from  the  various 
Protestant  States  of  Germany,  and  they  brought  with 


28  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

them  the  peculiar  opinions  and  usages  to  which  they  had 
been  accustomed  at  home.  These  are  different  and  dis- 
similar in  most  of  those  States  ;  and  the  result  would  very 
naturally  follow  here,  that  considerable  difference  of 
opinion  should  prevail  among  the  aggregate  masses  on 
every  point  of  doctrine  and  worship.  It  is  but  due  to  the 
Lutherans  to  say  that,  though  harassed  by  this  tendency 
to  diversity  and  discord,  they  have  gradually  coalesced 
into  a  degree  of  uniformity  and  homogeneity  which  could 
hardly  have  been  expected.  Yet  one  cause  of  this  result 
is  to  be  found  in  that  indifference  to  church  matters  which 
gradually  prevailed  among  many  of  them,  when  their  at- 
tention became  diverted  toward  the  opportunities  for  ac- 
quiring wealth  with  which  they  were  favored  in  this 
country.  A  large  proportion  of  them,  devoted  to  their 
pecuniary  interests,  did  not  care  what  became  of  the 
church  of  their  forefathers;  and  by  giving  twenty-five 
cents  a  year,  to  secure  their  right  of  burial,  many  of  them 
became  indifferent  to  the  prosperity  and  welfare  of  that 
faith  for  which  their  forefathers  had  fought  and  suffered, 
and  for  the  possession  of  which  many  of  them  had  deserted 
their  native  land,  and  had  ventured  upon  the  perils  and 
deprivations  of  a  howling  wilderness. 

One  of  the  first  fruits  of  the  establishment  of  the  Gene- 
ral Synod  was  the  erection  of  the  Theological  Seminary  at 
Gettysburg,  Pa.,  intended  to  prepare  the  young  men  of 
the  church  for  the  ministry.  This  is  the  most  important 
institution  connected  with  the  Lutheran  sect  in  this  country, 
and  was  established  in  1825.  It  is  provided  with  large 
and  commodious  buildings,  and  with  one  of  the  best  theo- 
logical libraries  in  the  country.  The  President  of  this  in- 
stitution is  Rev.  S.  S.  Schmucker,  D.  D.,  who  was  elected 
its  first  professor  in  1825 ;  who  still  continues,  after  the 
lapse  of  thirty-three  years,  to  fill  the  important  duties  of 
his  office,  and  is  the  most  eminent  Lutheran  theologian  in 
this  country.  There  are  two  other  professors  connected 
with  the  institution,  completing  the  usual  routine  of  the 
most  thorough  theological  instruction.  A  large  portion 


j  . 

HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS!*?      »  ;       29 

Fvv 

* 

of  the  library  was  obtained  by  Dr.  B.  Kurtz  fror 

the  universities  and  clergy  of  Germany  and  Denmark. 
As  an  auxiliary  to  the  seminary,  Pennsylvania  College 
was  founded  at  the  same  place  in  1827,  Dr.  Schmucker 
and  Thaddeus  Stevens,  Esq.  being  instrumental  in  pro- 
curing the  charter  of  the  institution  from  the  Legislature. 
A  branch  of  this  college,  and  one  of  the  most  meritorious 
portions  of  it,  is  the  Medical  College  in  Ninth  street,  below 
Locust,  in  Philadelphia. 

The  Schmucker  family,  like  that  of  the  Muhlenbergs, 
holds  a  prominent  place  in  the  history  and  development 
of  the  Lutheran  Church  in  this  country ;  there  being  no 
less  than  eleven  persons  of  the  connection  who  have  been, 
or  now  are,  clergymen  of  that  sect.  The  younger  mem- 
bers of  this  family  sometimes  write  their  names  "  Smucker," 
for  the  sake  of  convenience  and  brevity.  Other  eminent 
names  occur  in  the  history  of  the  Lutheran  Church  in 
this  country,  such  as  those  of  Dr.  Helmuth,  formerly  pastor 
of  Zion's  Church  in  Philadelphia ;  Dr.  Kuntze,  one  of  the 
best  Oriental  scholars  of  modern  times  ;  Rev.  Drs.  Kurtz, 
Brunholtz,  Handschuch,  Lochman,  Geissenhainer,  Quit- 
man,  (father  of  the  late  General  Quitman  of  Mexican 
fame,)  Schaeffer,  Demme,  Mayer,  and  Bachman,  of 
Charleston,  the  greatest  of  American  entomologists. 

In  addition  to  the  institutions  at  Gettysburg  the  Lu- 
therans have  a  seminary  at  Columbus,  Ohio ;  another  at 
Hartwick,  New  York ;  others  at  Lexington,  South  Caro- 
lina, and  at  Springfield,  Ohio.  They  have  Education, 
Home  Mission,  Foreign  Mission,  and  other  benevolent 
societies.  At  present  they  number  twenty-two  synods, 
fifteen  of  which  are  connected  with  the  General  Synod. 
They  have  about  five  hundred  ministers,  fourteen  hundred 
congregations,  and  a  hundred  and  forty  thousand  regular 
communicants.  They  hold,  in  point  of  numbers  and 
influence,  a  very  respectable  position  among  the  secondary 
denominations  of  this  country. 

In  Europe  the  Lutheran  Church  is  governed  by  bishops, 


30  HISTORY   OF   ALL  RELIGIONS. 

and  by  superintendents,  whose  functions  are  the  same  as 
those  of  diocesan  bishops ;  but  in  this  country  parity  ex- 
ists in  their  ministry,  and  each  preacher  is  regarded  as  a 
bishop.  In  other  words,  their  church  government  is  Pres- 
byterian ;  and  their  doctrines,  or  the  doctrines  which  are 
entertained  by  the  great  majority  of  them,  are  termed 
Evangelical.  They  believe  in  the  Trinity,  the  Deity  of 
Christ  and  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  vicarious  atonement, 
and  the  fall  of  man ;  but  they  discard  the  doctrine  of  Pre- 
destination and  Absolute  Decrees  of  God  respecting  Man's 
Salvation.  They  hold  to  Justification  by  Faith  alone  ;  to 
the  necessity  of  good  works,  nevertheless  ;  and  to  the  eter- 
nity of  future  hell-fire  for  the  finally  impenitent.  Their 
opinions  exhibit  the  greatest  diversity  on  the  subject  of 
the  Lord's  Supper ;  some  of  them  adhering  to  the  dogma 
of  Consubstantiation,  as  taught  by  Luther ;  while  others 
hold  that  the  bread  and  wine  are  merely  commemorative 
symbols  of  the  broken  body  and  shed  blood  of  Christ. 
Luther  declared  to  the  last  his  belief  in  Consubstantiation. 
In  one  of  his  later  works  he  says  :  "  I  should  have  wished 
to  have  denied  the  real  presence  of  Christ  in  the  Eucha- 
rist, in  order  to  confound  the  Papists.  But  so  clear  and 
strong  are  the  words  of  Scripture  which  establish  it,  that 
in  spite  of  my  inclination  so  to  do,  and  though  I  strained 
every  nerve  to  reach  the  point,  yet  I  could  never  persuade 
myself  to  doubt  or  deny  it."  Hence  the  "old  Lutherans," 
who  profess  to  be  strict  Lutherans,  adhere  to  this  opinion ; 
though  their  numbers  in  this  country  are  comparatively 
few.  The  vast  majority,  however,  go  to  the  opposite  ex- 
treme, strip  the  Eucharist  of  all  mystery,  and  invest  it 
only  with  a  commemorative  efficacy.  The  Lutherans  also 
differ  about  "  old  and  new  measures,"  some  being  opposed 
to  prayer  meetings  and  other  revival  ways  and  means ; 
while  others  adopt  the  Methodist  method  of  converting 
sinners,  and  sometimes  carry  their  usages  to  the  utmost 
possible  limits.  These  Lutherans  are,  however,  found 
chiefly  in  the  western  States.  They  claim  the  liberty  to 
believe  and  reject  the  Augsburg  Confession,  which  is  the 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  31 

principal  creed  of  the  sect,  when  they  please  and  as  far  as 
they  please.  The  rationalistic  Lutheran  theologians  of 
Germany,  many  of  whom  are  the  most  learned  men  of  the 
age,  assert  that  they  carry  out  the  great  principle  of  the 
Reformation — that  of  private  judgment  in  religious  mat- 
ters— to  its  full  and  legitimate  extent ;  and  thus  each  one 
of  them  has  a  creed  of  his  own.  There  are  a  few  German 
Lutheran  Churches  in  this  country  who  belong  to  this  wing 
of  the  sect,  some  of  whom  are  Unitarians,  and  others  as 
good  as  Infidels  and  Rationalists.  But  with  these  heretics 
the  main  body  of  the  Lutheran  Church  hold  no  communi- 
cation whatever,  regarding  their  sentiments  with  horror 
and  condemnation. 

GERMAN  REFORMED  CHURCH. 

The  German  Reformed  Church,  as  it  exists  both  in 
Europe  and  in  this  country,  is  historically  descended  from 
the  Swiss  churches  which  were  established  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  distinguished 
reformer,  Ulric  Zwingli.  The  original  seat  of  the  sect 
was  in  Switzerland ;  but  many  of  these  churches  exist  in 
the  various  Protestant  States  of  Germany,  as  well  as  in 
this  country. 

Zwingli  was  the  contemporary  of  Luther.  He  commenced 
his  reforming  zeal  nearly  at  the  same  time,  and  was  led 
to  the  adoption  of  his  Protestant  sentiments  by  a  process 
somewhat  similar  to  that  used  by  Luther.  He  was  born 
at  Wildhaus,  in  the  canton  of  Schweitz,  in  January,  1484. 
At  an  early  age  he  exhibited  proofs  of  superior  intelli- 
gence ;  and  his  parents,  who  were  poor,  made  every  effort 
to  give  him  the  benefit  of  a  learned  education.  He  was 
intended  for  the  priesthood,  as  the  best  avenue  which  could 
then  be  found  for  the  display  of  talent  and  the  gratifica- 
tion of  ambition.  In  due  time  he  was  ordained  as  a  Roman 
Catholic  priest,  after  having  completed  his  studies  at  the 
University  of  Basle.  In  1506  he  became  the  parish  priest 
of  Glaris,  a  village  near  his  native  Wildhaus,  and  here  he 


32  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

commenced  to  study  and  examine  the  Scriptures  with  spe- 
cial reference  to  the  absurdities  which  wero  committed  by 
the  pilgrims  who  at  that  time  traveled  to  the  venerable 
shrine  at  Einsidlen,  which,  by  some  imposture  or  other,  had 
at  that  time  acquired  a  widely-spread  notoriety.  By  op- 
posing this  local  superstition,  he  invited  and  incurred  the 
condemnation  of  his  ecclesiastical  superiors  ;  while  at  the 
same  time  he  acquired  great  popularity  among  the  multi- 
tude as  a  young  man  who  was  able  and  determined  to  ex- 
ercise some  freedom  of  thought.  His  growing  fame  at 
length  procured  for  him  the  post  of  preacher  in  the  cathe- 
dral church  of  Zurich.  This  event  occurred  in  Decem- 
ber, 1518.  He  was  an  eloquent  speaker ;  and  though 
while  at  Glaris  his  morals  had  not  been  any  better  than 
they  should  be,  this  defect  was  overlooked  and  gradually 
overshadowed  by  his  superior  abilities  as  an  orator. 

Meanwhile  Luther  was  carrying  forward  the  Reforma- 
tion of  Wittenberg,  and  the  new  doctrines  which  he  pro- 
pounded and  defended  found  a  ready  and  an  able  advocate 
in  Zwingli.  The  latter  preached  one  novelty  after  another 
as  fast  as  he  became  convinced,  by  a  careful  examination 
of  its  Scriptural  authority,  until  he  had  gone  over  the 
whole  ground  of  Protestant  theology.  During  the  pro- 
gress of  these  labors  many  of  the  Swiss  cantons  became 
the  partizans  of  the  Protestant  cause ;  and  the  centre  of 
the  new  faith  remained  at  Zurich,  of  which  city  Zwingli 
was  the  leading  and  most  powerful  intellect.  In  some  re- 
spects, and  on  several  important  points,  Zwingli  differed 
from  Luther,  especially  in  regard  to  the  nature  of  the 
Lord's  Supper.  For  the  purpose  of  comparing  their  views, 
and,  if  possible,  of  forming  an  ecclesiastical  and  religious 
union,  they  held  several  conferences  together  ;  but  in  both 
cases  the  rude  and  resolute  manner  in  which  the  Saxon  Re- 
former insisted  on  his  own  peculiar  and  unmodified  opin- 
ions as  being  the  only  and  the  immutable  truth,  and  his 
determination  not  to  depart  a  single  jot  from  his  previ- 
ously expressed  sentiments,  rendered  all  prospect  of  ac- 
commodation utterly  hopeless,  and  sadly  disappointed  the 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  83 

charitable   hopes   which   Zwingli  had   reasonably  enter- 
tained on  the  subject. 

Zwingli,  therefore,  proceeded  to  carry  on  his  reforms  in 
Switzerland  in  entire  independence  of  the  movements  of 
Luther.  One  canton  after  another  declared  in  favor  of 
the  Reformation,  until  all,  save  five  of  them,  ranged  them- 
selves on  that  side  of  the  dispute.  The  names  of  those 
which  refused  to  do  so  were  Uri,  Lucerne,  Schweitz,  Unter- 
halten,  and  Zug.  It  is  probable  that,  had  the  Reformer 
lived  longer,  he  might  have  been  able  to  extend  his  doc- 
trines among  the  inhabitants  of  these  cantons  also ;  but  in 
October,  1531,  a  religious  war  was  declared  between  the 
cantons  of  opposite  faith,  and  Zwingli  went  forth  as  chief 
chaplain  in  the  army  of  his  confederates.  He  was  slain 
at  the  battle  of  Cappel,  and  thus  prematurely  terminated 
a  career  which  might  have  ultimately  led  to  very  impor- 
tant and  permanent  results.  Zwingli  was  an  inferior  man 
to  Luther  in  every  sense.  He  was  his  inferior  in  native 
genius,  in  learning,  in  boldness,  in  eloquence,  in  the  ex- 
tent and  grandeur  of  the  arena  on  which  he  labored,  in 
the  results  which  he  produced,  in  the  fame  which  he  ac- 
quired, and  in  the  completeness  and  duration  of  his  public 
career.  Notwithstanding  these  disadvantages,  Zwingli 
s-ccupies  a  very  honorable  place  in  history,  as  the  founder 
of  the  German  Reformed  Church. 

After  the  death  of  Zwingli,  his  place  as  the  head  of  this 
church  was  assumed  by  a  much  greater  man  than  himself 
— by  John  Calvin — who  resided  at  Geneva,  and  rendered 
that  city  the  head  and  centre  of  Swiss  Protestantism. 
Calvin  differed  from  Zwingl;  on  several  points ;  especially 
?n  the  nature  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  on  the  proper 
nature  of  church  government.  Zwingli  regarded  the 
Eucharist  merely  as  a  commemorative  symbol  of  Christ's 
death ;  while  Calvin  taught  that  the  worthy  communicant 
received,  in  the  bread  and  wine,  the  actual  body,  blood, 
and  bones  of  Christ.  As  to  church  government,  Zwingli 
was  in  favor  of  subjecting  the  church  to  the  civil  authority, 
so  far  as  her  temporal  and  secular  affairs  were  concerned ; 


34  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

while  Calvin  contended  that  in  all  things,  both  temporal  and 
spiritual,  the  church  ought  to  be  wholly  free  and  separate 
from  the  civil  power.  Calvin  never  succeeded  in  persuad- 
ing the  Swiss,  much  less  any  German  community,  to  re- 
ceive and  adopt  his  views  of  church  government,  though 
they  were  doubtless  founded  in  truth  and  justice. 

The  German  Reformed  Church  in  the  United  States 
took  its  rise  about  the  year  1720,  when  the  first  immi- 
grants who  belonged  to  that  sect  came  to  this  country. 
These  settled  in  Eastern  Pennsylvania ;  but  other  churches 
were  gradually  formed  in  various  portions  of  this  State, 
and  subsequently  in  Virginia,  Maryland,  New  Jersey,  and 
the  Carolinas.  In  this  country  their  church  government 
is  essentially  Presbyterian.  Some  of  the  congregations 
of  this  sect  are  in  a  flourishing  condition ;  though  they 
never  have  had  any  very  large  churches,  nor  have  they 
had  any  eminent  or  distinguished  persons  among  their 
membership.  In  this  respect,  as  well  as  regards  numbers, 
wealth,  and  social  influence,  they  have  always  been  infe- 
rior to  the  Lutheran  and  Dutch  Reformed  churches. 

The  creed  of  this  sect  is  set  forth  in  the  Heidelberg 
catechism.  Their  doctrines  are  regarded  as  orthodox,  be- 
lieving as  they  do  in  the  Trinity,  the  vicarious  atonement, 
and  other  fundamental  points  of  Protestant  theology. 
The  Heidelberg  Catechism  was  drawn  up  in  1563,  and 
adopted  at  the  city  of  that  name.  Its  purpose  was  to  effect 
a  compromise  between  the  Reformed  Churches  of  Switzer- 
land and  Germany :  and  it  was  composed  by  several  emi- 
nent and  learned  men  who  represented  several  different 
parties.  These  were  Pr.  Zacharias  Ursinus,  who  was  a 
disciple  of  Melanchthon,  Dr.  Casper  Olevianus,  a  follower 
of  Calvin ;  and  the  Elector  Frederic  III.,  sorereign  of  the 
Palatinate,  of  which  Heidelberg  is  the  capital,  who  was  a 
disciple  of  Zwingli.  This  catechism  says  nothing  about 
the  cardinal  doctrine  of  the  imputation  of  Adam's  sin  to 
his  posterity ;  the  atonement  is  regarded  as  general,  in 
opposition  to  Calvin's  opinion  ;  and  the  theories  of  Calvin 
and  Zwingli  about  the  Lord's  Supper  are  so  mingled,  tha\ 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  35 

a  compound  of  the  two  is  made.  It  also  teaches  that 
mankind  cannot  repent  without  the  assistance  of  the 
Spirit  of  God ;  yet  it  admits  that  when  the  Spirit  im- 
pels and  urges  men  to  repent,  they  have  the  power  to 
resist  that  impulse  and  act  as  free  agents. 

MONOPHYSITES  are  properly  the  followers  of  a 
monk  of  the  sixteenth  century,  Severus,  but  the  term 
is  applied  to  all  the  Eastern  churches  who  helieve  in 
the  one  nature  of  Christ,  holding  that  the  divine  na- 
ture was  so  united  to  and  mingled  with  the  human 
that  they  formed  but  a  single  nature.  The  churches 
that  hold  to  this  faith  at  present  are  the  Syrian,  the 
Jacobite,  the  Coptic,  including  the  Abyssinian,  the 
Chaldean,  the  Arminian,  and  the  Indo-Syriac.  These 
churches  all  hold  this  one  article  of  faith  in  common, 
though  their  creeds  differ  widely. 

MO^OTHELITES,  a  sect  which  was  suppressed 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  seventh  century.  They  claim- 
ed that  as  Christ  had  two  natures  he  must  have  two 
wills,  but  that  the  human  will  was  so  overpowered  by 
the  divine  that  it  became  entirely  subordinated  to  it, 
and  consequently  there  could  be  but  one  free  will  in 
the  same  person.  This  practical  denial  of  the  perfec- 
tion of  Christ's  human  nature  raised  the  opposition 
of  other  Christians,  and  they  were  condemned  in 
General  Council. 

MONTANTSTS,  followers  of  Montanus,  who,  in  the 
second  century,  claimed  that  the  Spirit,  the  Paraclete, 
dwelt  in  him,  and  through  him  would  give  a  more 
perfect  system  of  religion'than  that  expounded  by  the 
apostles.  He  was  aided  by  two  women  whom  he  had 
won  over  to  faith  in  him  and  his  pretensions.  They 
allowed  women  to  teach,  forbade  second  marriages, 
and  allowed  divorce.  Persons  guilty  of  great  crimes 
were  never  after  to  be  admitted  to  communion,  they 
denying  the  authority  of  the  bishops  to  restore  tli«iu. 


36  HISTORY  OP   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

L  AM  AISM,  the  religion  of  the  Buddhist  inhabitants 
of  Thibet,  Mongolia,  and  of  hordes  of  Tartars.  The 
Grand  Lama,  or  Delai-Lama,  is  supposed  to  be  the 
deity  inhabiting  the  body  of  a  human  being,  and  is 
worshiped  accordingly.  When  the  man  dies,  the  spirit 
is  supposed  to  have  left  the  worn-out  tenement,  and 
to  have  taken  up  his  abode  in  the  body  of  some  child, 
where  he  is  discovered,  by  means  of  certain  tokens,  by 
the  Lamas,  and  the  worship  is  accordingly  transferred. 
This  religion  is  an  offshoot  of  Buddhism,  is  very  nearly 
coeval  with  it,  and  very  similar  in  rites  and  ceremo- 
nies. It  is  the  faith  of  a  very  large  portion  of  the 
human  race,  and  has  withstood  the  lapse  of  time  and 
the  efforts  of  man  to  overthrow  it. 

BRAHMINS  are  the  first  of  the  four  castes  of  Hin- 
doos. They  take  their  name  from  Brahma,  the  first  of 
the  Trinity — the  Creator — from  whose  mouth,  the  seat 
of  wisdom,  they  proceeded.  They  are  the  sacerdotal 
caste,  and  have  the  most  absolute  authority.  Brahmin- 
ism  is  the  most  extended  religion  on  the  face  of  the  globe; 
and  it  is  even  claimed  that  the  Hindoo  religion,  in  its 
several  forms,  is  adhered  to  by  more  than  half  the  peo- 
ple of  the  world.  It  is,  however,  in  India  and  else- 
where, beginning  to  succumb  to  Christianity ;  and  the 
day  is  not  far  distant  when  it  will  be  a  thing  of  the 
past,  when  the  light  of  Christianity  shall  have  dis- 
pelled the  heathen  darkness. 

BUDDHISTS.— Buddhism  originated  in  India,  but 
was  expelled  by  the  Brahmins,  and  spread  to  Japan, 
Thibet,  China,  and  Ceylon,  where  it  remains  the  es- 
tablished religion  still.  It  was  founded  by  Gautama, 
a  Hindoo  sage,  in  the  sixth  century  B.  C.,  though 
mythology  dates  it  back  to  the  eleventh  century  B.  C. 
The  faith  was  at  first  aesthetic  and  moral,  but  is  now 
essentially  idolatrous  and  very  similar  to  that  of  the 
Brahmins,  which  see. 


HISTORY   OP   ALL   RELIGIONS.  37 

ANABAPTISTS,  OR  «  MUNSTER  BAPTISTS," 

a  German  sect  which  arose  during  the  sixteenth, 
century,  who,  under  the  pretext  that  Christ  himself 
was  about  to  assume  all  government,  bid  defiance  to 
all  magistrates,  laws,  and  every  restraint.  Munzer, 
a  fanatic,  assumed  the  leadership  and,  at  the  head  of 
a  large  army,  attempted  to  propagate  the  new  faith 
by  force  of  arms.  He  was  soon  overcome,  captured, 
and  executed  by  the  elector  of  Saxony.  His  followers 
were  scattered,  and  a  party  of  them  settled  at  Muns- 
ter,  whence  their  name.  Here  they  established  them- 
selves, deposed  the  magistrates,  confiscated  estates, 
and  deposited  all  treasure  for  common  use.  They 
called  their  city  Mount  Zion,  invited  all  of  their  faith 
to  assemble,  and  proclaimed  that  they  would  reduce 
the  world  to  their  doctrines.  The  city  was,  after  a 
long  siege,  taken  by  the  army  of  the  Catholic  bishop, 
and  their  leaders  punished  by  death.  The  distin- 
guishing features  of  their  creed  were:  first,  in  common 
with  other  Baptists,  the  baptism  of  believers  by  im- 
mersion, denying  the  efficacy  of  infant  baptism  ;  sec- 
ond, that  all  civil  law  was  an  encroachment  on  the 
rights  of  Christians,  and  that  all  distinctions  of  birth 
and  rank  should  be  abolished ;  third,  the  communist 
doctrine  of  equality  in  possession  of  wealth  ;  fourth, 
the  patriarchal  government  and  usages  in  respect  to 
marriage,  including  plurality  of  wives.  The  taking 
of  Munster  was  the  death-blow  to  the  sect,  and,  al- 
though scattered  over  Germany,  Switzerland,  and 
Holland,  they  dwindled  and  disappeared. 

BROWNISTS,  a  dissenting  sect  of  the  Puritans, 
followers  of  Robert  Brown.  Their  articles  of  faith 
were  much  the  same  as  those  of  the  Established  Church, 
but  in  government  they  were  essentially  independent. 
They  rejected  all  forms  of  prayer,  as  well  as  all  ritual- 
istic forms.  In  1592,  there  were  computed  to  be  not 
less  than  twenty  thousand  of  this  sect.  Marriages  in 
church  were  not  allowed,  and  only  the  children  of 


38  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

believers  were  baptized.  They  recognized  no  distinc- 
tive priesthood,  but  admitted  of  lay  preaching.  From 
this  sect  sprang  the  company  who  laid  the  first  per- 
manent settlement  in  this  country. 

THE  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 

THOSE  religious  people  to  whem  the  term  "  Baptist"  is 
applied,  both  in  this  country  and  in  Europe,  are  divided 
into  a  variety  of  minor  sects  who  are  known  by  various 
epithets,  such  as  Free  Will  Baptists,  Free  Communion 
Baptists,  Seventh  Day  Baptists,  and  several  others.  The 
most  extensive  and  important  denomination  of  this  class, 
however,  are  those  known  by  the  simple  word  "Baptists," 
and  these  are  probably  the  most  numerous  and  one  of  the 
most  influential  sects  in  the  United  States ;  and  of  these 
we  propose  to  speak  in  this  article. 

The  Baptists  claim  to  be  the  oldest  of  the  present  di- 
visions of  Christendom,  on  the  ground  that  their  method 
of  administering  the  rite  of  baptism  by  immersion  is  the 
only  one,  as  they  contend,  practiced  by  the  apostles  and 
the  primitive  Church,  and  the  only  one  which  ought  to  be 
practiced  in  succeeding  ages.  They  hold  that  as  baptism 
was  and  is  the  only  method  of  admission  to  the  Church, 
and  as  immersion  is  the  proper  way  of  administering  this 
rite,  those  only  can  be  members  of  the  Christian  Church 
who  have  thus  been  admitted.  Consequently  those  who 
have  been  merely  sprinkled  are  not  baptized ;  and  as,  in 
the  early  ages,  we  hear  nothing  of  infants  being  baptized, 
but  only  such  as  had  first  "believed,"  and  were  old 
enough  to  exercise  faith,  they  therefore  infer  that  adults 
only  are  suitable  subjects  for  this  rite,  which  incorporates 
them  with  the  Church  of  Christ.  It  is  undoubtedly  true 
that  the  preponderance  of  proof  is  in  favor  of  the  position 
that  baptism  was,  in  the  first  instance,  administered  only 
by  immersion ;  that  the  very  word  for  baptism  used  in  the 
Greek  New  Testament  means  plainly  to  "  immerse,"  and 
not  sprinkle ;  and  that  the  ablest  opponents  of  the  Bap- 
tists have  been  compelled  to  admit  that  the  argument 


HISTOKY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  89 

drawn  from  the  early  practice  of  the  Church  is  in  their 
favor. 

The  history  of  the  Baptists  may  therefore  be  said,  in 
one  sense,  to  begin  with  the  apostles.  But  several  gene- 
rations after  their  day,  the  universal  practice  of  the 
Church  had  gradually  become  changed,  and  the  sprinkling 
both  of  infants  and  of  adults  had  taken  the  place  of  the 
primitive  rite.  As  a  sect,  or  separate  organization,  they 
never  existed  for  many  ages,  until  the  rise  of  Peter 
Waldo,  in  the  twelfth  century,  who  established  the  sect  of 
the  Waldenses  among  the  mountains  and  valleys  of  Pied- 
mont. One  of  the  prominent  doctrines  which  he  and  his 
followers  believed  was  the  impropriety  of  the  baptism  of 
infants,  and  the  necessity  of  immersion  to  the  validity  of 
any  baptism.  Waldo  commenced  his  reforming  career  in 
1180 ;  and  during  several  centuries  those  who  received  his 
doctrine  endured  immense  persecutions,  according  to  the 
prevalent  spirit  of  the  times,  from  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  which  was  then  predominant  throughout  Europe. 

Those  Christians  who  adhere  to  "  believers'  baptism,"  in 
opposition  to  the  sprinkling  of  infants,  next  appear  as  a 
sect,  in  the  sixteenth  century,  under  the  epithet  of  the 
"Anabaptists  of  Munster."  These  were  fanatics  of  the 
worst  description,  who  did  an  infinite  degree  of  harm,  and 
met  with  a  terrible  fate  ;  but  they  had  no  connection 
whatever  with  modern  Baptists,  except  in  the  single  face 
that  they  immersed.  The  Munster  Baptists  may  more 
properly  be  regarded  as  the  predecessors  of  the  modern 
Mennonites,  who  are  indeed  directly  historically  descended 
from  them.  In  1338,  Walter  Lollard,  a  Hollander  of 
learning  and  distinction,  who  adhered  to  the  doctrine  of 
the  Baptists,  visited  England,  preached  and  made  many 
converts,  who  were  known  by  the  epithet  of  "Lollards," 
after  their  leader.  During  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII. ,  and 
Edward  VI. ,  they  greatly  increased  in  numbers ;  though 
subsequently,  they,  were  cruelly  persecuted  under  Queen 
Mary.  On  one  occasion  as  many  as  fourteen  suffered 
death,  rather  than  renounce  their  religious  convictions, 


40  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

Notwithstanding  fire  and  sword,  however,  these  people 
continued  to  increase,  and  gradually  the  name  by  which 
they  were  designated  was  changed  from  Lollard  to  Bap- 
tist, and  they  acquired  more  and  more  importance  and  in- 
fluence. At  length  religious  liberty  and  personal  security 
were  granted  them  by  Cromwell,  who  had  overthrown  the 
pernicious  tyranny  of  Charles  I.,  and  had  established  the 
Commonwealth.  It  was  during  the  reign  of  Charles  II., 
that  those  events -occurred  which  planted  the  Baptist  name 
and  faith  in  the  New  World. 

The  chief  instrument  in  producing  this  result  was  the 
celebrated  Roger  Williams,  who  was  a  native  of  Wales, 
and  originally  a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England. 
Becoming  dissatisfied  both  with  the  doctrines  and  the 
government  of  that  church,  he  determined  to  remove  to 
the  then  infant  colony  of  Massachusetts.  His  voyage 
terminated  in  February,  1631,  and  he  first  became  a  resi- 
dent and  a  pastor  at  Salem.  At.  that  period  he  was  a 
Puritan,  and  had  not  yet  publicly  announced  his  new 
views  on  the  subject  of  Baptism.  But  when,  some  years 
afterward,  he  did  so,  he  was  expelled  from  the  territory 
of  the  colony,  and  compelled  to  seek  a  new  home  else- 
where. Then  it  was  that  he  and  a  few  devoted  followers 
removed  to  the  region  of  country,  then  inhabited  wholly 
by  Indians,  which  now  constitutes  the  State  of  Rhode 
island.  There  he  established  the  first  regular  Baptist 
Society  in  this  country,  at  Providence,  in  March,  1639. 
Other  societies  were  soon  formed  in  other  localities  in  the 
State,  and  the  Baptists  thus  became  the  founders  and 
chief  citizens  of  one  of  the  sovereign  Commonwealths  of 
this  confederacy.  During  the  progress  of  several  gene- 
rations the  denomination  has  gradually  increased  in 
all  the  States,  and  especially  in  the  South,  until  at  the 
present  time,  as  their  statistics  show,  they  approach 
in  point  of  numbers  every  other  sect  in  the  community. 

The  doctrinal  system  of  this  denomination  of  Baptists, 
is  Calvinistic  and  Orthodox.  They  believe  in  the  eternal 
decrees  of  <7od,  in  reference  to  the  salvation  of  the  Elect, 


FIRST  BAPTIST  CHURCH,  BROAD  AKP 
STREETS,  PHILADELPHIA. — P'l^e.  43 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  41 

and  hold  that  such  as  have  been  predestined  to  be  saved 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world  shall  be  saved,  and  no 
others.  At  the  same  time  their  method  of  preaching  is  very 
earnest  and  practical — as  much  so  as  that  of  the  Metho- 
dists— and  they  are  very  zealous  in  laboring  for  the  con- 
version -of  sinners.  It  is  to  this  fact  that  their  remarkable 
increase  in  this  country  is  to  be  attributed.  They  are  also 
great  proselytizers  among  the  members  of  other  churches, 
by  means  of  arguments  and  reasonings  in  reference  to  the 
true  nature  and  method  of  baptism.  Their  fundamental 
principle  on  this  point  is,  that  Christians  should  not  admit 
anything  as  an  article  of  belief  or  of  duty  which  is  not 
taught  in  the  Scriptures,  and  sanctioned  by  the  practice 
of  the  Apostles  themselves.  Every  other  doctrine  or  rite 
they  hold  to  be  a  mere  human  invention.  They  apply 
this  principle  to  baptism,  and  contend  that  both  the  teach- 
ings of  the  New  Testament  and  the  example  of  the  Apos- 
tles are  plainly  in  favor  of  "believers'  baptism,"  in  pre- 
ference to  infant  sprinkling;  the  former  is  right,  and  the 
latter  a  wholly  unauthorized  innovation.  In  support  of 
this  doctrine  they  can  array,  besides  Scripture  proofs,  a 
host  of  concessions  and  admissions  which  the  most  distin- 
guished writers  of  other  sects  have  made,  which  clearly 
admit  the  greater  propriety  of  immersion,  and  thus  con- 
cede the  truth  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Baptists. 

Nothing  is  more  curious  than  the  extraordinary  fullness 
of  these  concessions  from  their  opponents,  and  they  are  so 
remarkable  that  we  will  repeat  a  few  of  them.  Bishop 
Burnet  says :  "To  baptize  means  to  plunge,  as  is  granted 
by  all  the  world."  Calvin  says:  "The  custom  of  the 
ancient  churches  was  not  sprinkling,  but  immersion." 
Bossuet  admits  that  "  the  word  baptize  means  to  immerse, 
and  the  rite  of  immersion  was  observed  by  the  ancient 
church."  Dr.  Doddridge  says:  "It  seems  the  part  of 
candor  to  admit  that  baptizing  by  immersion  was  most 
ssual  in  early  times."  Whitefield  declares  that  "the- 
manner  of  baptism  was  by  immersion."  It  certainly 
seems  to  be  unaccountable  that  writers  who  are  willing  to 


42  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

make  admissions  such  as  these,  should  still  have  adhered 
to  sects  which  practice  the  sprinkling  of  infants,  and  which 
have  wholly  abandoned  the  practical  observance  of  the 
rite,  the  scriptural  and  apostolical  authority  of  which  they 
do  not  deny. 

Although  Baptists  place  so  much  importance  in  the 
mode  of  administering  this  rite,  they  do  not  go  as  far  as 
some  other  sects  in  their  views  of  the  miraculous  results 
of  baptism  when  administered.  They  do  not  believe,  with 
the  Roman  Catholic  and  the  Episcopalian,  that  it  neces- 
sarily regenerates  the  nature  of  the  baptized  person ;  and 
they  insist  that  unless  repentance  and  faith  accompany 
this  sacrament,  it  is  of  no  avail,  and  produces  no  moral 
benefit  whatever.  Baptism  with  them  is  a  sign  of  the  fellow- 
ship of  the  recipient  with  Christ,  of  the  remission  of  his 
sins,  and  his  heirship  of  eternal  life ;  "provided  always"  it 
be  accompanied  with  repentance  and  change  of  life.  They 
admit  but  one  other  sacrament,  that  of  the  Lord's  Supper, 
which  they  regard  merely  as  a  commemorative  ordinance, 
to  remind  Christians,  till  the  end  of  the  world,  of  the  suf- 
ferings and  death  of  Christ. 

The  Baptists  further  believe  in  the  total  fall  and  cor- 
ruption of  human  nature,  and  in  man's  utter  inability  to 
do  anything  whatever  towards  his  own  salvation.  Hence 
they  hold  to  the  doctrine  of  election ;  because  as  God  only 
enables  men  to  repent,  and  as  but  few  do  repent,  it  is  in- 
ferred therefore  that  he  aids  but  a  few,  leaving  the  balance 
to  the  consequences  of  their  own  original  sin,  which 
they  inherited  from  old  Adam  through  the  fall,  and  of 
their  actual  sins,  which  are  the  legitimate  result  of  the 
former. 

The  church  government  of  the  Baptists  is  purely  con- 
gregational. Each  society  is  a  separate  and  independent 
organization,  and  has  entire  control  over  all  its  own  affairs. 
They  think  that  the  apostolic  churches  were  organized  in 
this  way,  and  that  these  were  proper  models  for  the  guid- 
ance of  Christians  in  succeeding  ages.  Their  church  offi- 
cers ai-e  bishops,  or  presbyters,  who  preach,  and  deacons 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  43 

who  assist  and  have  charge  of  the  temporal  affairs  of  the 
congregation.  Yet  though  the  Baptists  are  Congregation- 
alists  or  Independents  in  this  respect,  they  long  since  felt 
the  necessity  and  advantage  of  a  certain  degree  of  inter- 
course among  their  various  churches,  in  different  portions 
of  the  community ;  and  hence  they  are  accustomed  to  hold 
what  are  termed  "  Associations."  When  difficulties  occur 
between  a  congregation  and  its  pastor,  a  council  of  neigh- 
boring ministers  is  called  together,  who  take  the  facts  of 
the  case  into  consideration,  and  give  their  opinion  upon  the 
merits.  But  tl  eir  agency  or  influence  is  merely  advisory ; 
and  they  have  no  authority  to  prescribe  any  particular 
course  of  action  in  the  matter,  either  to  the  church  or  to 
the  preacher.  The  associations  are  composed  of  delegates 
from  the  congregations  existing  within  certain  limits,  and 
they  meet  merely  to  consult  together  about  the  common 
interests  of  the  churches,  and  to  engage  in  religious  exer- 
cises of  more  than  ordinary  earnestness  and  duration. 
Besides  these  associations  they  have  "Conventions,"  which 
are  composed  of  delegates  from  several  associations,  whose 
objects  are  to  carry  forward  and  promote  the  operations 
of  the  Missionary,  Bible,  Tract,  and  other  benevolent  op- 
erations of  the  sect ;  to  give  counsel  and  advice  in  doubt- 
ful and  disputed  cases,  and  to  hold  religious  exercises. 

Formerly  the  preachers  of  this  denomination  were  in- 
ferior to  those  of  several  others  in  their  literary  and  theo- 
logical attainments.  This  defect  has  been  greatly  im- 
proved during  the  last  few  years.  The  Baptists  have  now 
under  their  care  some  of  the  best  colleges  and  seminaries 
in  this  country.  Among  these  are  Brown  University,  at 
Providence,  Rhode  Island,  over  which  the  able  Dr.  Way- 
land  presided  for  many  years;  Madison  University,  at 
Hamilton,  New  York ;  Georgetown  College,  at  George- 
town, Kentucky  ;  Newton  Theological  Seminary,  at  New 
ton,  Massachusetts ;  and  other  theological  institutions  at 
Covington,  Kentucky ;  Hamilton,  New  York ;  and  New 
Hampton,  New  Hampshire.  The  consequence  of  the  ex- 
igence and  operations  of  these  various  establishments  has 


44  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

been  to  elevate  the  standard  of  literary  merit  among  the 
clergymen  of  this  church,  until  it  is  now  nearly  equal  to 
that  of  any  of  their  contemporaries. 

In  England  the  Baptists  can  boast  of  many  distinguished 
men,  prominent  among  whom  were  Bunyan,  author  of  "  Pil- 
grim's Progress;"  John  Gill,  the  Commentator;  Robert 
Hall,  the  most  eloquent  preacher  of  his  time,  who  declared, 
in  reference  to  the  voluminous  works  of  Dr.  Gill,  that  they 
were  "  a  continent  of  mud ;"  Dr.  Ryland ;  John  Foster,  the 
celebrated  essayist ;  and  more  recently,  Mr.  Spurgeon,  at 
present  the  most  popular  preacher  in  London.  In  the 
United  States  the  Baptists  have  also  had  some  eminent 
men,  among  whom  are  Drs.  William  Staughton,  Wayland, 
Judson,  the  missionary,  Howard  Malcomb,  Barnas  Sears, 
the  learned  Biblical  critic,  and  Fuller,  of  Baltimore.  The 
present  statistics  of  this  denomination  show  a  vast  increase 
during  the  last  half  century.  In  1795  there  were  in  the 
United  States  but  nine  hundred  churches,  eleven  hundred 
preachers,  and  seventy  thousand  communicants.  At  the 
present  time  a  sufficiently  accurate  computation  gives  them 
about  ten  thousand  churches,  six  thousand  ordained  minis- 
ters, and  nine  hundred  thousand  regular  members — which 
number,  by  including  negroes  in  the  Southern  States,  may 
readily  be  augmented  to  a  sum  total  of  one  million.  These 
estimates,  we  believe,  much  exceed  those  of  any  other  de- 
nomination in  the  United  States. 

The  Baptists  are  distinguished  by  their  great  zeal  and 
enterprise  in  foreign  missions.  They  have  flourishing  sta- 
tions in  Burmah,  Siam,  China,  India,  Ceylon,  Australia, 
and  Liberia ;  and  some  of  the  most  successful  missionaries 
of  modern  times  have  labored  under  the  auspices.  Such 
were  Judson  and  Kinkaid,  men  of  unsurpassed  ability  and 
usefulness  in  this  difficult  and  self-denying  enterprise.  It 
is  probable  that,  at  the  present  time,  ten  thousand  natives 
of  the  Asiatic  countries  just  named  are  regular  members 
of  their  missionary  churches.  In  consequence  of  the  fun- 
damental differences  between  the  Baptists  and  otlier  Evan- 
gelical Christians  on  the  subject  of  baptism,  they  have 


HISTORY    OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  45 

prrmtted  for  themselves  a  new  translation  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, in  which  the  word  "  baptize"  is  uniformly  rendered 
'immerse,"  in  accordance  with  their  peculiar  views  on 
bhis  suoject. 

SWEDENBORGIANS. 

THE  religious  community  founded  by  Emanuel  Sweden- 
boig  is  properly  called  the  "New  Jerusalem,  or  New 
Christian  Church;"  and  while  other  sects  boast  of  their 
antiquity,  and  of  their  connection  and  identity  with  the 
primitive  apostolic  Church,  this  sect  regards  it  as  a  greater 
evidence  of  truth  to  possess  the  character  of  innovators, 
and  to  improve  upon  the  old  religion  of  previous  ages. 
The  peculiar  nature  of  their  doctrines  has  prevented  them 
from  becoming  a  very  large  or  influential  community ; 
for  there  is  a  great  deal  of  mystery,  profundity,  and 
difficulty  involved  in  their  belief,  which  makes  the  common 
understanding  revolt  from  it. 

Emanuel  Swedberg  was  born  at  Stockholm,  in  Sweden, 
m  1688.  His  father,  Jesper  Swedberg,  was  first  a  chap- 
lain in  the  army,  and  afterwards  the  Bishop  of  Skara,  in 
West  Gothland.  Emanuel  received  a  liberal  education, 
and  indicated  his  superior  talents  by  his  great  success  and 
proficiency  in  many  departments  of  learning,  especially  in 
philosophy,  mathematics,  chemistry,  anatomy,  and  langua- 
ges. In  1716,  he  received  from  the  king  the  appointment 
of  Assessor  Extraordinary  of  the  Metallic  College,  in 
Stockholm.  Several  years  afterward,  in  consequence  of 
his  abilities  and  services,  the  rank  of  a  noble  was  con- 
ferred upon  him,  at  which  time  he  changed  his  name  from 
Swedberg  to  the  more  sonorous  one  of  Swedenborg.  He 
thus  became  a  member  of  the  Equestrian  Order,  in  Swe- 
den, and  took  his  seat  in  the  Assembly  of  the  States. 
He  retained  his  office  in  the  Metallic  College  from  1716 
till  1747 — a  period  of  thirty-one  years;  and  although  a 
higher  and  more  important  office  was  then  tendered  to 
him,  he  declined  it,  in  order  that  he  might  devote  his 


46  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

whole  attention  to  the  exposition  and  propagation  of  the 
peculiar  opinions  which  he  had  adopted.  These  opinions 
he  made  known,  from  time  to  time,  in  the  many  works 
which  he  published,  all  of  which  bear  evidence  of  extraor- 
dinary intellectual  powers,  of  great  learning  and  industry, 
but  at  the  same  time  of  a  visionary  and  imaginative  ten- 
dency, which  has  no  parallel  in  the  history  or  development 
of  the  human  mind.  He  lived  to  the  great  age  of  eighty- 
five,  and  died  at  London  in  1772.  He  was  universally 
esteemed  for  his  personal  qualities,  admired  for  his  learn- 
ing and  abilities;  and  he  numbered  among  his  intimate 
friends  many  of  the  most  eminent  persons  of  his  time. 

The  sect  founded  by  Swedenborg  may  be  denominated 
the  predecessors  of  the  Spiritualists  of  the  present  day, 
though  they  greatly  differ  in  many  respects.  They  be- 
lieve in  communication  with  spirits,  but  not  through  the 
agency  or  medium  of  material  substances,  and  such  things 
as  audible  knocldngs.  Swedenborg  represented  himself 
as  the  chosen  herald  of  the  second  coming  of  Christ,  not 
as  the  judge  of  the  world,  but  as  the  revealer  of  new  doc- 
trinal truth,  and  of  the  practical  results  which  those  truths 
would  produce  upon  mankind.  It  is  in  executing  this 
commission  that  he  was  favored,  as  he  thought,  with  fre- 
quent revelations  from  Heaven,  and  with  intercourse  with 
departed  spirits,  who  communicated  to  him  what  he  after- 
ward revealed  and  taught  to  others.  It  is  evident,  from 
his  whole  history,  that  he  himself  was  sincere,  and  was 
governed  by  no  motive  of  a  selfish  or  mercenary  character 
in  his  conduct.  He  was  rich,  and  did  not  seek  profit. 
He  was  unambitious,  and  did  not  desire  fame.  He  was 
unobtrusive  and  retiring,  and  shrank  from  the  dignities 
and  honors  of  this  world.  We  must  therefore  infer  that  a 
desire  to  utter  what  he  believed  to  be  the  truth,  was  his 
sole  motive  in  proclaiming  a  new  set  of  doctrines,  which 
greatly  astonished  and  startled  his  cotemporaries  and  ail 
those  who  have  since  studied  and  examined  them. 

Communication  with  the  spirit-world  is  the  fundamental 
idea  of  the  system  of  Swedenborg.  By  this  means  he 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  47 

professed  to  receive  his  religious  opinions ;  and  the  proofs 
which  exist  to  show  that  he  really  obtained  superhuman 
intelligence,  are  certainly  remarkable.  This  intelligence 
was  not  confined  to  religious  matters,  but  extended  also 
to  temporal  and  worldly  affairs,  which  were,  from  their 
very  nature,  palpable  and  unanswerable  proofs  that  there 
was  something  extraordinary  in  the  man,  which  rendered 
him  different  from  other  human  beings  around  him.  In 
proof  of  this,  we  will  narrate  several  of  the  events  of  this 
character  which  occurred,  and  which  are  authenticated  and 
established  beyond  the  possibility  of  a  doubt. 

In  September,  1756,  Swedenborg  paid  a  visit  to  Goth- 
enburg, and  was  the  guest  of  one  William  Castel.  Fifteen 
other  persons  were  invited  to  dinner.  About  ten  o'clock 
in  the  evening,  Swedenborg  left  the  company  and  with- 
drew. After  a  short  time  he  returned,  and  seemed  to  be 
much  agitated  and  alarmed.  The  company  immediately 
perceived  his  state  of  mind,  and  inquired  the  cause  of  it. 
He  answered  that  he  had  been  informed  by  his  spiritual 
agency  that  a  fire  had  broken  out  in  Stockholm,  and  was 
at  that  moment  raging  with  great  fury ;  that  the  house  of 
one  of  his  friends,  whom  he  named,  was  already  in  ashes ; 
and  that  the  conflagration  was  spreading  rapidly.  After 
a  short  interval  Swedenborg  again  retired,  and  returned 
with  a  joyful  countenance,  with  the  intelligence  that  the 
fire  was  then  extinguished  at  the  third  door  from  his  own 
residence.  The  news  of  this  reported  conflagration  rapidly 
spread  through  Gothenburg,  which  is  three  hundred  miles 
distant  from  Stockholm.  The  governor  of  the  city  sent 
for  Swedenborg,  and  questioned  him  on  the  subject.  He 
described  the  fire  with  great  minuteness,  how  it  began,  how 
far  it  had  extended,  how  it  was  suppressed,  and  some  of  tho 
incidents  connected  with  its  progress.  A  messenger  had 
been  dispatched  from  Gothenburg  to  Stockholm  to  ascer- 
tain the  truth  or  falsehood  of  the  seer's  revelation ;  and  at 
the  earliest  possible  time,  on  the  succeeding  Monday,  he 
returned,  bringing  the  most  full  and  complete  confirmation 
of  all  the  statements  of  Swedenborg,  which  were  further 


48  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

established  by  the  royal  courier,  who  soon  after  arrived  at 
Gothenburg. 

Another  well  attested  and  equally  remarkable  incident 
is  as  follows :  Madam  Hartville,  the  widow  of  the  Dutch 
Plenipotentiary  at  Stockholm,  was  requested,  a  short  time 
after  her  husband's  death,  to  pay  a  certain  goldsmith  for 
a  set  of  silver  plate  which  her  husband  had  purchased. 
The  widow  had  good  reason  to  believe  that  the  bill  had 
been  paid  during  the  lifetime  of  her  husband,  yet  she  was 
unable  to  discover  any  receipt  or  memorandum  to  that 
effect  among  his  carefully-arranged  papers.  She  was  in 
great  perplexity,  as  the  sum  in  question  was  large ;  and  at 
length  a  friend  suggested  to  her  that  Swedenborg,  wfibse 
alleged  intercourse  with  spirits  was  a  matter  of  general 
fame,  should  be  consulted  on  the  subject.  She  visited  him 
and  requested  his  aid.  He  promised  to  serve  her ;  and 
three  days  afterward  he  called  upon  her,  and  informed  her 
that  he  had  conversed  with  her  deceased  husband.  He 
further  stated  that  the  debt  had  been  paid  seven  months 
before  his  death,  and  that  the  receipt  had  been  put  in  a 
bureau  in  a  certain  apartment  of  her  house.  She  replied 
that  this  bureau  had  already  been  thoroughly  searched, 
and  in  vain.  Swedenborg  answered  that  the  spirit  had  in- 
formed him,  that  the  receipt  would  be  found  in  a  secret 
drawer  in  the  left  side  of  the  bureau  in  question,  which 
was  hidden  by  the  ordinary  drawer,  which  must  first  be 
removed ;  and  that,  in  that  secret  place,  other  important 
papers,  connected  with  her  husband's  official  correspon- 
dence, would  also  be  found.  An  examination  was  imme- 
diately made  in  accordance  with  this  direction,  and  the 
lost  papers  were  discovered  precisely  as  Swedenborg  had 
designated. 

The  truth  of  these  incidents  is  supported  by  unanswer- 
able evidence  ;  and  many  others,  of  similar  character,  an<^ 
great  clearness,  occurrell  during  Swedenborg's  lifetime 
I?t  becomes  a  matter  of  interest  to  inquire  what  were  the 
doctrines  taught  by  a  man  whose  spiritual  insight  se-rms 
to  have  been  so  remarkable ;  for  all  the  opinions  which  he 


HISTORY    OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  49 

taught  he  professed  to  have  received  from  the  same  super- 
natural and  infallible  mode  of  instruction. 

Swedenborg  did  not  believe,  nor  do  his  followers  now 
believe,  that  "all  the  tracts  bound  up  in  the  Bible"  are 
necessarily  inspired.  They  exclude  from  the  inspired 
books  all  the  Epistles  of  the  New  Testament,  yet  they 
read  and  receive  them  as  writings  of  great  interest  and 
value.  Some  of  the  sacred  books  they  think  contain 
an  internal  sense,  having  been  written  according  to  the 
u  Science  of  Correspondences."  Of  this  character  is  the 
book  of  Job.  The  Swedenborgians  also  believe  in  a 
Trinity ;  but  it  is  not  the  Trinity  of  the  Orthodox  sects. 
It  is  not  a  Trinity  of  Persons,  but  it  resembles  that  Trin- 
ity which  exists  in  man,  who  was  created  in  the  image  of 
God.  In  man  there  are  the  body,  the  soul  or  intellectual 
essence,  and  the  mode  of  operation.  So  Swedenborgians 
say  there  is  one  God  possessing  a  trinity  of  relations  ;  the 
Father  is  the  spirit,  the  Son  is  the  bodily  form,  the  Holy 
Ghost  is  the  form  of  operation.  They  do  not  believe  that 
Christ  is  eternal  as  the  Son  of  Grod ;  but  that  his  Son- 
ship  only  belongs  to  his  nature,  as  it  was  born  and  ex- 
isted in  this  world.  Say  they :  Physiologists  know  that  a 
child  receives  his  soul  from  his  father,  and  his  body  from 
his  mother.  Hence,  as  Christ  had  no  human  father,  he 
had  nothing  corresponding  with  a  human  soul,  but  was 
animated  directly  and  only  by  a  divine  nature. 

Regeneration  they  believe  to  be  merely  the  restoration 
of  the  disarranged  harmony  of  the  soul,  and  bringing  it 
back  to  its  original  resemblance  of  the  nature  of  God. 
The  object  of  the  existence  of  the  Christian  Church  in  the 
world  is  simply  to  aid  in  the  accomplishment  of  this  re- 
sult. They  do  not  regard  the  death  of  the  body  as  a  ca- 
lamity or  curse,  but  as  a  natural  stage  in  the  progress  of 
human  beings,  which  puts  an  end  to  their  probationary 
state,  and  separates  the  soul  from  its  material  companion. 
Immediately  after  death  the  spirit  assumes  a  spiritual 
lody  in  place  of  the  material  body  it  has  left  behind.  At 
death  men  enter  an  intermediate  state,  in  which  their  real 
4 


50  HISTOKY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

character  is  developed,  according  to  the  preponderance  of 
its  moral  tendencies.  Those  who  possess  a  greater  degree 
of  good  than  of  evil  qualities  will  be  so  developed  and  im- 
proved as  to  become  perfect,  and  be  ultimately  admitted 
to  Heaven.  Those  in  whom  the  evil  is  the  greater,  get 
worse  and  worse,  till  they  are  consigned  to  endless  perdition. 
Swedenborgians  deny  the  doctrine  of  election  and  re- 
probation, and  believe  that  God  has  left  salvation  free  to 
all,  and  that  all  have  an  equal  chance  of  attaining  Hea< 
ven.  Salvation,  according  to  Swedenborg,  is  not  salva* 
tion  from  punishment,  but  salvation  from  sinfulness.  Thosi 
who  attain  Heaven  associate  hereafter  with  angels,  and  in 
their  associations  and  spiritual  employments  the  happiness 
of  Heaven  consists.  The  wicked  who  finally  enter  endless 
perdition  become  devils,  or  wicked  angels,  just  as  the  re- 
deemed finally  become  good  angels  in  Heaven.  None  en- 
ter the  other  world  entirely  good,  or  entirely  bad ;  yet 
there  is  no  repentance  or  reformation  possible  after  death. 
The  final  change  and  permanent  situation  of  mankind  in 
the  next  world  is  accomplished  by  degrees  ;  and  during 
its  progress  th  j  departed  are  neither  in  Heaven  nor  Hell, 
but  in  the  "  world  of  spirits,"  which  enables  them  to  have 
intercourse,  under  certain  restrictions,  with  human  beings 
in  this  world.  They  believe  that  there  is  a  resurrection 
after  death,  which  is  not  the  resurrection  of  the  natural 
or  material  body,  but  of  the  spiritual  body  from  the  nat- 
ural. This  resurrection,  they  think,  generally  takes  place 
on  the  third  day  after  death,  when  the  flesh  becomes  rigid 
and  putrefaction  commences.  They  base  this  opinion  on 
the  declaration  of  Saint  Paul,  that  "  there  is  a  natural 
body  and  there  is  a  spiritual  body."  When  the  spiritual 
body  rises  from  the  material,  it  possesses  spiritual  organs ; 
and  so  all  the  things  which  exist  naturally  in  the  natural 
world,  exist  spiritually  in  the  spiritual  world.  Thus  the 
spiritual  world  is  in  fact  a  perfect  counterpart  of  the  nat- 
ural or  material  world.  There,  spiritual  things  affect  the 
spiritual  organs  of  men,  as  natural  things  affect  their  nat- 
ural organs  in  this  w«rld.  Hence  Swedenborg  was  of 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  51 

opinion  that  many  persons  who  die,  on  their  first  awaken- 
ing in  the  other  world,  do  not  know  that  they  are  in  that 
world.  But  those  who  have  their  spiritual  senses  opened 
in  this  life,  as  was  the  case  with  him,  are  already  able  to 
see  the  spiritual  persons  and  things  of  the  other  world, 
and  hold  communication  with  them,  as  he  himself  pretended 
to  do.  The  resemblance  between  the  things  of  the  other 
world  to  those  of  this,  is  the  foundation  of  that  doctrine 
of  "  Correspondences,"  which  is  one  of  the  leading  prin- 
ciples of  the  system  of  Swedenborg.  He  also  taught 
that  every  person  carried  into  the  future  world  his  own 
future  condition,  his  own  heaven  or  hell,  in  the  moral  quali- 
ties which  he  possessed. 

Swedenborg  was  a  voluminous  author,  and  it  is  the  labor 
of  a  lifetime  to  become  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the 
mysterious  and  extraordinary  doctrines  which  he  taught, 
and  to  develope  them  to  their  full  and  legitimate  extent. 
In  consequence  of  the  abstruseness  of  his  system,  his  fol- 
lowers have  never  been  numerous.  Their  form  of  worship 
is  simple  and  devoid  of-  ostentation  ;  hence  it  has  little 
whereby  to  attract  the  superficial  and  shallow.  The  lead- 
ing man  in  the  denomination  in  this  country  is  Professor 
George  Bush,  the  Biblical  commentator.  They  have  a 
few  churches  scattered  throughout  the  Eastern  and  Middle 
States,  and  the  aggregate  number  of  their  members  in 
this  country  is  about  ten  thousand.  They  are  usually 
classed  among  the  un-orthodox  sects,  in  consequence  of 
their  views  on  the  subject  of  the  Trinity. 

HICKSITE  QUAKERS. 

IN  the  year  1827,  a  great  schism  occurred  in  the  Qua- 
ker community  in  the  United  States.  This  event  was 
brought  about  by  the  activity  and  the  preaching  of  the 
celebrated  Elias  Hicks,  who  at  that  time  succeeded  in  ac- 
complishing a  result  to  which  the  labors  of  several  prece- 
ding years  had  been  devoted.  Hicks  was  a  man  of  supe- 
rior ability,  a  good  speaker,  and  a  reasoner  of  great  logi- 


52  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

cal  acumen  and  power.  The  tendency  of  his  mind  was 
toward  freedom  and  progress  in  religious  belief;  and  having 
become  dissatisfied  with  some  of  the  cardinal  doctrines 
which  were  held  by  the  old  Quakers,  he  commenced  to  in- 
vestigate, to  free  himself  from  old  trammels,  to  adopt  new 
conclusions,  and  to  preach  them  in  the  various  assemblages 
of  the  Quakers  which  he  attended. 

The  consequence  of  this  course  of  conduct  was  that, 
while  on  the  one  hand,  he  made  adherents  and  converts 
to  his  views,  he  excited  the  hostility  and  opposition  of  the 
rest,  and  thus  two  parties  were  gradually  formed  in  many 
of  the  meetings  or  congregations  throughout  the  Middle 
and  Northern  States.  In  April,  1827,  the  controversy 
came  to  an  open  and  public  separation.  Various  disputes 
subsequently  arose  from  time  to  time  between  the  two 
parties,  some  of  which  referred  to  doctrine,  but  more  to 
the  possession  of  the  property  which  belonged  to  the  Qua- 
ker commmunity.  The  Hicksites,  regarding  themselves 
as  the  real  Quakers,  demanded  possession  of  the  meeting- 
houses and  graveyards  of  the  sect — a  requisition  which 
was  resisted  with  great  earnestness  by  the  old  Orthodox 
Friends. 

In  the  progress  of  time  these  disputes  were  settled  in 
various  ways  ;  in  some  instances  the  Hicksite,  and  in  others 
the  Orthodox  Quakers  obtaining  the  victory.  The  new 
sect  established  meetings  of  their  own  in  Pennsylvania, 
New  York,  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  Maryland.  Their  dress, 
language,  church  government,  and  usages  are  the  same  as 
those  of  the  opposite  party,  of  which  we  will  speak  in  an- 
other article.  In  point  of  numbers,  the  Hicksites  in  this 
country  are  about  equal  to  the  Orthodox,  though  in  Eng- 
land the  former  are  very  few,  and  their  existence  there  is 
scarcely  known.  In  this  country  the  Hicksites  or  Pro- 
gressive Friends  are  not  inferior  to  the  other  party  in  in- 
telligence, wealth,  and  social  influence ;  though,  in  conse- 
quence of  their  peculiar  doctrines,  they  are  looked  down 
upon  by  the  various  Orthodox  sects  with  dislike  and  aver- 
sion, and  are  classed  by  them  among  the  condemned  and 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  WV  .»  53 

^v\ 

anathematized  communities,  such  as  Unitarians,  Univer- 
salists,  and  Swedenborgians. 

The  doctrinal  peculiarities  of  the  Hicksites  are  as  fol- 
lows :  They  assert  that  there  is  a  tendency  to  progress  and 
development  in  true  Christianity,  according  to  the  teach- 
ing in  Mark  iv.  28 :  "  There  is  first  the  blade,  then  the 
ear,  after  that  the  full  corn  in  the  ear."  In  following  out 
this  principle,  they  contend  that  they  have  arrived  at  the 
belief  that  the  light  of  Christ,  and  of  religious  truth,  is 
within  them ;  that  Christianity  is  wrholly  spiritual,  the  per- 
fect ante-type  of  the  visible,  legal  dispensation  of  the  Old 
Testament ;  that  under  the  gospel,  the  temple,  the  altar, 
the  sacrifices,  the  water,  the  fire,  and  the  entire  worship, 
are  spiritual,  which  require  neither  priest,  nor  book,  nor 
ritual,  nor  outward  ceremonies  of  any  kind  to  render  them 
efficacious  and  salutary.  In  a  word,  they  carry  out  the 
doctrine  of  the  entire  spirituality  of  the  gospel  dispensa- 
tion, to  its  utmost  possible  development. 

The  Hicksites  also  deny  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity. 
On  this  point  they  differ  essentially  from  the  Orthodox 
Quakers,  who  have  been  believers  of  the  Trinity  from  the 
the  first.  Hicks  argued  with  great  earnestness  and  force 
against  the  doctrine,  and  his  opinion  on  this  subject  was 
one  of  the  chief  grounds  of  the  separation  which  occurred. 
He  also  denied  the  doctrine  of  satisfaction,  or  a  vicarious 
atonement,  and  held  that  such  a  thing  as  "  imputed  right- 
eousness" did  not  exist.  On  both  these  fundamental 
points  of  orthodoxy  the  Hicksites  are  heterodox,  and  en- 
tirely alienated  from  other  Quakers.  They  are  not  much 
more  orthodox  in  their  opinions  respecting  the  inspiration 
of  the  Scriptures.  They  believe  that  these  are  profitable 
for  doctrine  and  reproof,  yet  that  they  are  an  emanation 
only  from  the  fountain  of  truth,  not  that  fountain  itself; 
that  they  are  a  dead  letter  unless  accompanied  by  the  light 
and  influence  of  the  inward  monitor  and  the  divine  Spirit, 
and  that  their  entire  usefulness  depends  on  the  existence 
of  the  divine  Spirit  within  the  mind  of  the  reader  when 
perusing  their  contents. 


54  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

As  to  divine  worship,  the  Hicksites  believe  that  to  wor- 
ship God  in  a  formal  manner,  with  regular  and  established 
ceremonies,  is  an  abomination;  and,  like  the  Orthodox 
Quakers,  they  have  frequently  silent  meetings,  where  no 
thing  is  either  said  or  done.  They  have  no  singing  cr 
other  outward  worship,  and  they  hold  a  hireling  and  mer- 
cenary ministry  in  greater  abhorrence  and  disgust,  if  pos- 
sible, than  the  Orthodox.  The  discipline  which  governs 
the  community  is  the  same  in  form  as  that  of  the  other 
branch  of  the  Quakers,  consisting  of  monthly,  quarterly, 
and  yearly  meetings.  They  marry,  and  are  given  in  mar- 
riage, and  bury,  like  other  Quakers.  They  have  Yearly 
Meetings  in  Philadelphia,  New  York,  Genessee,  Baltimore, 
Ohio,  and  Indiana ;  though  like  the  other  branch  of  the 
Quakers,  they  do  not  increase,  but  rather  diminish  in 
numbers  with  the  progress  of  time.  There  is  nothing  in 
their  system  of  worship  or  discipline  which  is  adapted  to 
win  proselytes  ;  and  the  energy  and  zeal  of  other  sects  are 
constantly  attracting  the  young  of  both  sexes  to  their 
more  impressive  or  more  edifying  modes  of  worship  and  of 
association.  It  is  the  fashion  of  the  orthodox  religious 
sects  to  stigmatize  the  Hicksites  as  nothing  better  than 
outright  infidels.  This  charge  is  very  unjust  and  erroneous. 

ORTHODOX  CONGEEGATIONALISTS. 

THE  Orthodox  Congregationalists  constitute  one  of  the 
most  numerous  and  important  sects  in  this  country.  They 
predominate  throughout  New  England,  and  are  identified 
with  much  that  is  excellent  in  New  England  intelligence, 
enterprise,  wealth,  and  influence.  The  general  principle 
which  designates  this  sect  in  opposition  to  all  others  is, 
that  they  believe  in  the  entire  independence  of  each 
church  or  congregation  of  all  other  congregations  ;  that 
each  society  is  a  complete  whole  within  itself ;  and  that  no 
association  or  connection  with  any  other  church  is  neces- 
sary to  constitute  a  community  truly  organized  according 
to  the  apostolic  model. 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  65 

The  first  Congregational  Church  of  which  we  have  any 
record  was  one  which  was  organized  in  England,  by  one 
Robert  Browne,  in  1583.  His  followers  were  first  called 
"Brownists,"  from  their  leader;  but,  as  their  views  were 
greatly  abhorrent  to  the  members  of  the  English  estab- 
lishment, which  was  at  that  time  flourishing  under  the 
royal  favor  of  Elizabeth,  they  were  immediately  visited 
with  persecution  and  broken  up.  Browne  and  a  few  fol- 
lowers escaped  to  Holland,  and  there  organized  another 
church  in  accordance  with  their  views.  After  some  years 
Browne  returned  to  England,  renounced  his  religious 
opinions  and  connections,  and  became,  as  his  enemies  said, 
openly  immoral.  Yet,  in  spite  of  his  own  apostasy,  the 
doctrine  which  he  had  preached  gradually  acquired  favor 
in  England  and  about  the  lime  of  the  accession  of  James 
I.  they  numbered  twenty  thousand.  At  that  period  more 
stringent  laws  against  dissenters  were  passed  by  that 
weak  monarch,  and  the  Brownists  were  compelled  to  flee, 
to  escape  the  rod  of  persecution.  Among  their  number 
was  John  Robinson,  a  man  who  afterwards  became  famous 
among  them.  He  led  another  colony  of  his  brethren  over 
to  Holland,  and  founded  a  Congregational  Church  at  Am- 
sterdam. Ten  years  elapsed,  and,  for  various  reasons, 
Robinson  and  his  friends — prominent  among  whom  were 
Elder  Brewster,  Bradford  Carver,  and  Winslow — resolved 
to  seek  a  freer  home  in  America.  It  was  about  the  year 
1620,  that  they  were  able  to  execute  their  purpose ;  and 
the  first  feeble  colony  of  exiles,  after  traversing  the  wide 
and  stormy  ocean,  reached  the  memorable  rock  of  Plymouth. 
In  1829  an  additional  colony  was  formed  at  Salem.  Elder 
Brewster  was  the  first  pastor  of  the  Plymouth  church, 
and  from  that  church  colonists  went  forth  from  time  to 
time,  which  established  other  societies  based  on  the  same 
principles  of  ecclesiastical  government.  Such  were  the 
churches  at  Marshfield,  Duxbury,  and  Charlestown. 

The  principles  on  which  New  England  Congregational- 
ism was  founded  are  as  follows : — 1.  That  no  Christian 
church  ought  to  contain  more  members  than  can  conveni- 


56  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS 

ently  worship  in  one  building.  2.  That  the  true  test  of 
membership  in  a  Christian  church  is  belief  in  Christ  and 
obedience  to  his  precepts.  3.  That  any  number  of  such 
persons  have  the  right  to  constitute  themselves  into  a 
separate  church,  and  that  such  an  organization  will  pos- 
sess every  necessary  element  of  validity.  4.  That,  having 
thus  associated  themselves  together,  they  have  the  right 
to  elect  their  own  officers  and  invest  them  with  legitimate 
functions.  5.  That  these  officers  are  of  three  orders — 
pastors  or  teaching  elders,  ruling  elders,  and  deacons. 
6.  That  elders  being  chosen,  derive  all  their  authority 
from  the  members,  and  depend  for  its  continuance  on  their 
will  and  pleasure.  7.  That  all  elders  and  all  churches 
are  equal  in  the  extent  of  their  powers  and  privileges. 
8.  That  the  sacraments  of  the  church  are  two — Baptism, 
which  is  to  be  administered  both  to  infants  and  adults,  by 
sprinkling,  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  which  is  to  be  received 
sitting  at  the  table.  9.  That  Christians  should  not  ob- 
serve any  holydays  except  the  Sabbath,  though  they 
might  have  occasional  days  for  fasting  and  thanksgiving. 
10.  That  the  functions  of  the  ministry  and  the  rights  to 
preach  may  be  validly  bestowed  upon  any  person  chosen 
for  that  purpose  by  the  members  and  officers  of  any  Chris- 
tian church ;  that  no  clerical  succession  of  any  kind  is 
necessary  for  that  purpose ;  that  the  ceremony  of  ordina- 
tion does  not  in  itself  confer  the  functions  of  the  ministry, 
but  that  it  is  merely  a  recognition  of  the  existence  of  those 
functions,  which  are,  in  fact,  already  and  solely  conferred 
on  the  preacher  by  his  election  by  any  Christian  society 
as  their  pastor.  11.  That  each  congregation  is  totally  in- 
dependent, in  all  respects,  both  as  regards  its  spiritual 
and  temporal  affairs,  of  all  other  Christian  churches. 

The  history  of  Congregationalism  is  closely  identified 
with  the  history  of  New  England.  It  extended  more  and 
more  widely  as  the  country  became  more  thickly  settled. 
In  1638,  Harvard  University  was  founded  at  Cambridge. 
In  1646,  common  schools  were  established  by  law  in 
Massachusetts.  In  1648,  the  Cambridge  Platform  was 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  57 

adopted  by  an  assemblage  of  Congregational  ministers, 
which  set  forth  what  is  usually  known  as  the  Calvinistic 
system  of  theology.  At  that  time  the  number  of  churches 
of  this  sect  in  Massachusetts  was  thirty-nine  ;  in  Connec- 
ticut, four ;  in  New  Hampshire,  three.  The  Quakers  first 
made  their  appearance  in  Massachusetts  in  1656.  They 
were  two  women,  who  had  fled  thither  from  Barbadoes, 
hoping  to  find  religious  toleration  and  freedom  in  the  land 
of  the  Pilgrims.  They  were  cruelly  disappointed,  were 
arrested  and  imprisoned  for  witchcraft,  and  afterwards 
sent  back  to  Barbadoes.  Others  arrived,  three  of  whom 
were  subsequently  punished  with  death,  though  their  only 
offence  was  their  religious  opinions. 

In  1708,  in  consequence  of  various  disputes  on  religious 
subjects  which  had,  from  time  to  time,  agitated  the  reli- 
gious community,  an  assemblage  of  ministers  and  elders 
convened  at  Saybrook,  in  Connecticut,  who  eventually 
adopted  a  confession  of  faith,  which  is  generally  known  as 
the  "  Saybrook  Platform,"  and  is  a  symbol  of  great 
authority  and  importance  among  Congregationalists.  It 
differs  from  the  Cambridge  Platform  in  its  teachings  in 
reference  to  church  government  and  discipline,  and  the 
desirableness  of  having  ecclesiastical  councils  and  associa- 
tions, though  the  doctrinal  opinions  set  forth  are  the  same. 
In  regard  to  the  matter  of  associations,  the  modern  Con- 
gregationalists believe  that  it  is  useful  for  neighboring 
churches  to  send  their  ministers  and  elders  occasionally  to 
a  meeting  for  the  purpose  of  consultation  and  religious  ex- 
ercises, and  for  the  purpose  of  giving  advioe  in  reference 
to  doubtful  and  difficult  matters  of  doctrine  or  discipline 
which  may  be  submitted  to  their  examination  and  discus- 
sion ;  but  these  associations  never  possess  any  but  mere 
advisory  power,  and  the  independence  and  supremacy  of 
each  separate  congregation  is  carefully  maintained.  It  is 
also  the  custom  now  for  the  candidates  for  the  ministry  to 
be  examined  and  ordained  by  these  associations ;  whereas 
the  custom  formerly  was,  as  we  have  said,  for  each  con- 
gregation to  ordain  its  own  minister. 


58  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

An  important  event  in  the  history  of  New  England  Con- 
gregationalism was  the  appearance  of  Unitarianism  among 
some  of  its  most  eminent  clergymen.  This  event  first  oc- 
curred in  1760.  In  1785  several  churches  in  Boston 
openly  avowed  their  Unitarian  sentiments.  Soon  after 
Harvard  University  passed  under  the  control  of  the  new 
sect,  and  from  that  time  till  the  present  the  progress  of 
Unitarianism  has  been  constant.  The  latter  are  also 
Congregationalists  in  their  form  of  church  government ; 
and  hence  it  is  that  the  Congregationalists  are  frequently 
designated  at  the  present  time  by  the  single  epithet  of 
"  Orthodox."  Most  of  the  chief  colleges  of  New  Eng- 
land— such  as  Yale,  Dartmouth,  and  Amherst,  and  the  best 
theological  seminaries,  such  as  those  of  Andover  and 
Bangor — are  under  their  control,  and  hold  a  high  place 
among  the  literary  institutions  of  the  country.  The  Con- 
gregationalists at  the  present  time  number  about  sixteen 
hundred  churches,  about  fifteen  hundred  ministers,  and 
three  hundred  thousand  communicants.  Among  their  most 
eminent  men  have  been  Drs.  Cotton  Mather,  Emmons, 
Edward  Griffin,  Leonard  Woods,  N.  W.  Taylor,  and  Moses 
Stuart. 

ORTHODOX  FRIENDS,  OR  QUAKERS. 

THIS  remarkable  sect  had  its  origin  in  England,  about 
the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century.  As  is  well  known, 
their  head  and  founder  was  George  Fox,  who  was  born  in 
1624,  at  Drayton  in  Leicestershire.  He  was  the  son  of  a 
weaver,  a  pious  member  of  the  Episcopal  or  Established 
Church.  Fox,  who  seems  to  have  been  by  nature  of  a  devout 
turn  of  mind,  received  a  religious  education.  His  disposi- 
tion towards  solemnity  and  gloom  appears  to  have  been 
confirmed  by  the  occupation  of  a  grazier,  to  which  he  was 
consigned  at  an  early  age.  While  tending  his  sheep  in 
solitude  and  silence,  his  thoughts  dwelt  upon  the  state  of 
religion  around  him.  He  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
worldliness,  formality,  and  vanity  were  the  chief  charac- 


WILLIAM  PENN. — Page  58. 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  59 

teristics  of  the  prevalent  religion ;  and  at  the  age  of  nine- 
teen he  felt  convinced  that  he  had  received  a  divine  com- 
mand to  separate  and  exclude  himself  from  the  wicked 
world,  and  devote  his  time  to  spiritual  exercises.  Accord- 
ingly, during  five  years  he  led  a  wandering,  unsettled,  and 
lonely  life.  At  the  end  of  this  period,  he  began  to  preach 
his  peculiar  doctrines.  He  first  held  forth  at  Manchester, 
in  1648,  and  so  great  was  his  zeal  and  earnestness,  that 
he  soon  acquired  many  converts  and  adherents.  The 
name  by  which  they  proposed  to  be  known  was  that  of 
"  Friends, "a  term  taken  from  the  third  Epistle  of  St.  John, 
i.  14 :  "  Our  friends  salute  thee,"  &c.  .But  at  Derby  the 
epithet  of  "  Quakers"  was  first  applied  to  them,  by  way 
of  contempt,  on  account  of  the  fact  that  their  voices  in 
speaking  were  very  tremulous,  and  because  they  shook 
and  quaked  prodigiously  in  their  meetings,  in  consequence 
of  their  religious  terrors  and  conscientious  fears. 

Persecution  became  the  portion  of  Pox  and  his  follow 
ers,  from  the  commencement  of  their  career.  This  was 
especially  the  case  during  the  reign  of  Charles  the  Second, 
when  licentiousness  and  folly  reached  an  unparalleled  ex- 
tent in  England.  When  James  the  Second  ascended  the 
throne,  the  severe  laws  against  dissenters  were  relaxed, 
and  the  Quakers  were  protected  from  the  penalties  which 
they  had  previously  suffered  from  their  refusal  to  take  an 
oath  in  judicial  proceedings ;  their  simple  affirmation,  in- 
stead of  it,  was  received  ;  and  a  plan  was  adopted  by  which 
the  levying  of  tithes  was  reconciled  to  their  peculiar  scru- 
ples. Fox  continued  to  labor  with  great  zeal  during  his 
whole  life.  He  traveled  twice  to  the  continent,  and  once 
he  visited  America.  In  1655,  meetings  of  his  disciples 
were  held  in  Holland  and  several  other  countries,  and  at 
the  time  of  his  death  his  sect  was  a  well  known  and  highly 
respectable  body. 

Among  the  converts  whom  Fox  had  made,  and  whose 
personal  qualities  added  distinction  to  his  society,  were 
Robert  Barclay  and  William  Penn.  The  former  wrote  the 
celebrated  work  entitled  "  An  Apology  for  the  Quakers." 


60  HISTORY   OP   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

Penn  was  more  distinguished  by  his  achievments  as  a 
politician  and  founder  of  the  colony  of  Pennsylvania. 
Penn  was  born  in  London  in  1644.  He  was  of  an  opulent 
and  distinguished  family.  Being  sent  to  Oxford  Univer- 
sity, he  was  converted  to  Quakerism  by  happening  to  at- 
tend a  sermon  by  one  Thomas  Lee,  a  zealous  and  able 
preacher  of  that  faith.  Soon  afterward  he  was  expelled 
from  the  University  in  consequence  of  his  religious  views. 
He  was  also  discarded  by  his  father,  because  he  refused 
to  take  off  his  hat  before  the  king  and  him.  In  1668, 
Penn  boldly  came  forth  as  a  Quaker  preacher,  and  soon 
after  he  was  sent  as  a  prisoner  to  the  Tower,  where  he  re- 
mained in  confinement  seven  months. 

An  important  event  in  the  external  progress  of  the 
Quakers  was  the  establishment  by  Penn  of  the  colony 
which  still  bears  his  name.  Charles  II.  was  indebted  to 
the  father  of  Penn,  in  a  considerable  sum  of  money ;  and 
this  he  paid  oif  by  granting  to  Penn  the  right  and  title  to 
an  immense  tract  of  land  in  North  America,  then  called 
New  Netherlands.  This  territory  Penn  proposed  to  settle 
with  colonists  of  his  own  religious  belief.  He  drew  up  the 
constitution  of  his  proposed  colony,  containing  twenty-four 
articles,  which,  while  they  granted  perfect  religious  liberty 
to  all,  embodied  the  spirit  and  principles  of  his  own  belief. 
In  1682,  Penn  first  visited  the  province.  He  remained 
two  years  and  then  returned  to  England.  Subsequently 
he  returned  to  Pennsylvania,  and  resided  for  forty  years 
in  the  colony  which  he  had  founded,  his  head-quarters 
being  at  Philadelphia,  the  capital  of  the  new  State.  Du- 
ring this  long  period  he  nurtured  the  community  around 
him  with  wise  laws,  and  admirable  regulations  of  all 
kinds.  He  lived  in  peace  and  friendship  with  the  Indians ; 
and  Philadelphia  prospered  in  an  eminent  degree.  At 
that  time  nearly  all  the  inhabitants  were  Quakers.  In 
1710,  Penn  returned  to  England,  where  he  died  July, 
1718.  Beside  being  the  founder  of  one  of  the  most  re- 
markable and  flourishing  colonies  which  ever  existed,  Penn 
was  an  eminent  Christian,  a  voluminous  writer,  and  an  in- 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  61 

fluential  statesman.  Among  the  works  which  he  wrote, 
were  "The  Sandy  Fountain  Shaken,"  " Innocency  with 
Her  Open  Face,"  &c.  The  Society  of  Friends  are  greatly 
indebted  to  him  for  the  favorable  influence  in  their  behalf 
which  he  exerted  in  England,  as  well  as  in  the  colony  of 
Pennsylvania.  Notwithstanding  the  recent  attack  of  the 
historian,  Macaulay,  on  the  character  and  conduct  of  Penn, 
it  is  true  beyond  cavil  that  he  was  a  wise,  benevolent,  and 
pious  man. 

The  doctrines  for  which  the  Quakers  contended  through 
many  persecutions,  and  which  the  "  Orthodox"  portion  of 
them  still  generally  entertain,  are  as  follows :  That  God 
has  given  to  all  men  sufficient  internal  light,  by  which  they 
can,  if  they  will,  attain  their  salvation ;  that  this  light  is 
as  universal  as  the  diffusion  of  sin ;  and  is  capable  of 
leading  all  who  have  not  the  outward  means  of  salvation, 
to  a  saving  knowledge  of  the  truth.  They  believe  that 
God  condemns  none  but  such  as  refuse  the  means  of  salva- 
tion which  have  been  offered  to  them. 

They  hold  that  the  Scriptures  are  not  the  principal 
source  of  religious  truth  and  knowledge,  nor  the  primary 
rule  of  faith  and  conduct,  yet  that  they  are  useful  as  far 
as  they  go.  The  chief  source  of  spiritual  instruction  is 
the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  law  of  the  spirit  of  truth  which 
is  engraven  on  the  hearts  of  men  ;  in  other  words,  their 
consciences — which  is  the  inner  light.  Nor  do  they  be- 
lieve that  immediate  revelations  from  God  to  men  have 
ceased ;  but  that  a  measure  or  portion  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  is  given  to  every  one,  at  this  day  and  till  the  end  of 
time.  They  believe  that  as  all  spiritual  knowledge  comes 
directly  from  God,  those  who  have  a  gift  of  preaching 
ought  to  preach ;  that  they  ought  always  to  obey  the  im- 
pulse of  the  Spirit  to  that  effect :  and  as  women  are  as 
much  the  recipients  of  the  Holy  Ghost  as  others,  they 
should  also  preach  as  well  as  men.  They  refer  for  proof 
of  the  truth  of  this  doctrine  to  the  fact  that  St.  Paul 
speaks  of  women  who  had  labored  with  him  in  the  gospel ; 
and  that  Philip  had  four  daughters  who  prophesied, 


62  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

Hence  female  preachers  hold  a  prominent  place  in  the 
public  services  of  this  sect ;  and  they  gratify  their  uncon- 
querable dispositions  to  talk,  as  well  in  public  as  in  pri- 
vate ; — and  generally  their  preaching  has  more  intelli- 
gence and  point  in  it  than  the  preaching  of  the  male 
Quakers. 

They  believe  that  all  external  ordinances  and  ceremonies, 
including  Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  should  not  now 
be  observed  by  Christians ;  that  they  were  only  enjoined 
for  a  time  ;  that  they  should  be  observed  or  commemora- 
ted only  spiritually ;  that  the  baptism  which  should  be  ap- 
plied is  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  of  which  John's  baptism 
was  a  mere  figure  ;  and  that  the  breaking  of  bread  should 
not  actually  be  repeated  any  more  than  the  washing  of 
the  disciples'  feet,  or  the  anointing  the  sick  with  oil.  This 
they  hold,  because,  as  the  gospel  dispensation  was  purely 
a  spiritual  institution,  the  external  and  visible  observance 
of  these  or  any  other  ceremonies  is  useless  and  inconsis- 
tent. 

The  ^Orthodox  Quakers  believe  in  the  Trinity,  the  vica- 
rious atonement  of  Christ,  the  constant  presence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  in  the  hearts  of  true  believers,  the  fall  of 
Adam,  man's  depravity  and  utter  inability  to  save  him- 
self without  the  aid  and  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit ; 
and  that  men  are  justified,  not  by  their  own  righteousness, 
but  by  the  righteousness  and  the  mediation  of  Christ. 
They  believe  in  the  divine  inspiration  of  the  Scriptures, 
and  are  fiercely  opposed  to  a  "hireling  ministry."  The 
latter  personage  is  the  object  of  their  special  hostility ; 
and  they  regard  those  as  little  better  than  wolves  and 
robbers  who  preach  for  money,  and  who  generally  govern 
their  choice  of  a  field  of  labor,  as  they  say,  in  accordance 
with  the  greater  or  the  less  amount  of  salary  which  they  can 
procure.  In  support  of  this  doctrine  they  quote  the  lan- 
guage of  Christ :  "  Freely  ye  have  received,  freely  give  ;*' 
taking  no  account  whatever  of  that  other  Scripture  which 
saith,  "  The  laborer  is  worthy  of  his  hire :"  "  He  that  aiia- 
istereth  at  the  altar  should  live  of  the  altar." 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  63 

The  moral  principles  and  maxims  of  the  Quakers  are 
those  which  are  the  most  peculiar  and  singular.  They  re- 
gard it  as  wrong  to  use  the  ordinary  terms  of  courtesy 
which  are  prevalent  around  them,  such  as  "your  honor," 
"  your  lordship,"  "  esquire,"  nor  do  they  ever  pay  formal 
compliments  of  any  kind.  They  refuse  to  kneel  or  pros- 
trate themselves  to  any  human  being,  or  even  to  bow  the 
body  or  uncover  the  head.  They  condemn  all  superfluity 
or  show  in  apparel,  in  the  furniture  of  their  houses,  or  in 
anything  else.  They  forbid  indulgence  in  all  games  and 
sports,  all  amusements  and  recreations,  as  being  inconsis- 
tent with  religious  gravity  ;  and  they  think  that  even  jest- 
ing and  vain  talking  are  pernicious  to  the  soul  and  par- 
take too  much  of  the  spirit  of  the  world.  Yet  wealth, 
the  great  pursuit  of  the  world,  they  grasp  at  as  eagerly 
as  any  one;  and  when  they  cheat  one  another,  and  are 
told  of  it,  they  excuse  it  by  saying,  "Friend,  I  merely 
outwitted  thee."  They  think  it  unlawful  to  take  an 
oath  in  courts  of  justice,  to  engage  in  war  or  conflicts  of 
any  kind,  or  to  resist  evil  in  any  way.  They  are  great 
opponents  of  slavery,  and  are  more  radical  and  extreme 
in  their  condemnation  of  this  peculiar  institution  than  any 
other  Christian  sect.  Their  religious  assemblies  are  fre- 
quently what  are  termed  "silent  meetings."  Unless  the 
Holy  Spirit  directly  move  them,  or  any  of  them,  to  speak, 
they  keep  quiet  and  say  nothing.  Yet  it  is  presumed  that, 
during  this  interval,  they  are  doing  a  good  deal  of  think- 
ing. They  inculcate  charity  and  benevolence  toward  all 
men  ;  and  as  regards  the  members  at  least  of  their  own 
community,  they  practice  what  they  teach  ;  for  they  gen- 
erally help  those  who  are  in  want,  and  relieve  them  from 
the  miseries  and  inconveniences  of  poverty. 

The  Society  of  Friends  is  governed  and  regulated  by  a 
system  which  is  different  from  that  of  any  other  denomi- 
nation. They  have  a  discipline  which  consists  of  four 
^iTerent  grades  of  assemblies;  the  least  and  lowest  are 
those  which  are  called  Preparative  Meetings,  where  the 
matters  of  business  which  require  the  attention  and  action 


64  HISTORY   OP  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

of  the  members  of  the  society,  are  first  proposed  and  ar 
ranged.  These  affairs  are  then  referred  to  the  second 
assembly,  called  the  Monthly  Meetings,  which  are  com- 
posed of  several  Preparative  Meetings,  and  have  higher 
executive  authority.  Tke  decisions  of  the  Monthly  Meet- 
ings are  then  referred  to  the  Quarterly,  composed  of  several 
Monthly  Meetings,  which  have  higher  jurisdiction  still. 
After  these  have  made  their  decisions,  they  are  referred 
to  the  Yearly  Meeting,  which  includes  a  large  number  of 
Quarterly  Meetings,  which  examines  into  the  condition 
and  interests  of  the  whole  body,  and  pronounces  its  final 
determination,  from  which  there  is  no  appeal.  Moral  dis- 
cipline among  the  members  is  administered  through  the 
agency  of  "overseers,"  who  keep  an  eye  on  their  conduct, 
admonish  the  delinquent,  and  who  report  any  improper 
conduct  first  to  the  Preparative  Meeting,  and  also,  if 
thought  necessary,  to  the  other  higher  meetings  successively. 

The  principal  Yearly  Meetings  belonging  to  the  Ortho- 
dox Quakers  are  those  which  convene  in  London  for  Eng- 
land; in  Dublin  for  Ireland;  in  Newport  for  Rhode 
Island  and  New  England;  in  New  York  city  for  that 
State  ;  that  for  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey  is  held  in 
Philadelphia ;  in  Baltimore  for  Maryland  and  others  ;  for 
Virginia,  North  Carolina,  Ohio,  and  Indiana,  in  those 
States  respectively.  These  various  assemblies  represent  a 
body  of  actual  members,  who  number  about  a  hundred  and 
forty  thousand  persons,  which  is  a  smaller  aggregate  than 
that  which  existed  twenty-five  years  ago. 

According  to  the  views  of  Quakers,  their  children  in- 
Qerit  naturally  a  birthright  and  membership  in  the  church, 
juid  no  ceremony  or  rite  is  used  for  the  purpose  of  initia- 
ting them  into  the  connection.  This  birthright  they  retain 
through  life,  unless  they  forfeit  it  by  some  act  of  immo- 
rality, or  some  violation  of  the  disciplinary  regulations  of 
the  sect.  Marriages  are  all  celebrated  or  enacted  among 
their  members  in  public  meeting,  without  much  circumlo- 
cution or  ceremony,  each  party  merely  declaring  that  they 
accept  the  other  as  a  husband  or  wife.  This  usage  com- 


HISTORY    OF   ALL    RELIGIONS.  65 

ports  with  the  idea  of  the  marriage  relation  which  the 
Courts  of  Pennsylvania  have  decided  to  be  the  only  legal 
one,  namely,  that  marriage  is  simply  a  civil  contract,  and 
need  not,  to  be  valid,  be  invested  with  any  ecclesiastical 
or  clerical  sanction. 

It  is  somewhat  singular  that,  while  the  Quakers  con- 
demn all  kinds  of  established  forms  in  religion,  they  them- 
selves are  the  most  rigid  formalists  in  the  world ;  for  they 
go  so  far  as  to  display  a  peculiar  formality  in  their  dress, 
in  their  mode  of  living,  and  even  in  their  speech.  This 
inconsistency  results  from  the  fact  that,  after  all,  it  is  im- 
possible for  any  assemblage  or  society  of  persons  to  re- 
main associated  together,  without  some  distinctive  features 
and  badges  of  identity  and  resemblance.  But  Quakers, 
in  yielding  to  this  law  of  our  nature,  adopt  a  formalism  in 
regard  to  such  things  as  render  them  objects  of  ridicule  to 
the  worldly  portion  of  the  community,  and  impede  their 
increase  and  their  usefulness. 

ARMINIANS. 

THE  Arminians  are  those  who  hold  the  tenets  of  Armin- 
ius,  a  Protestant  divine,  born  in  Holland  in  the  year  1560, 
and  latterly  a  professor  of  divinity  at  Leyden. 

Thinking  the  doctrines  of  Calvin  in  regard  to  free  will, 
predestination,  and  grace,  contrary  to  the  beneficent  per- 
fections of  the  Deity,  Arminius  began  to  express  his  doubts 
concerning  them  in  the  year  1591 ;  and  upon  further  in- 
quiry, adopted  sentiments  more  nearly  resembling  those  of 
the  Lutherans  than  of  the  Calvinists.  After  his  appoint- 
ment to  the  theological  chair  at  Leyden,  he  thought  it  his 
duty  to  avow  and  vindicate  the  principles  which  he  had 
embraced  ;  and  the  freedom  with  which  he  published  and 
defended  them,  exposed  him  to  the  resentment  of  those 
that  adhered  to  the  theological  system  of  Geneva. 

His  tenets  included  the  five  following  propositions  :  First, 
That  God  has  not  fixed  the  future  state  of  mankind  by  an 
absolute,  unconditional  decree,  but  determined,  from  all 
6 


66  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

eternity,  to  bestow  salvation  on  those  who,  he  foresaw, 
would  persevere  to  the  end  in  their  faith  in  Jesus  Christ, 
and  to  inflict  punishment  on  those  who  should  continue  in 
their  unbelief,  and  resist  to  the  end  his  divine  assistance. 
Secondly,  That  Jesus  Christ,  by  his  death  and  sufferings, 
made  an  atonement  for  all  mankind  in  general,  and  for 
every  individual  in  particular :  that,  however,  none  ^ut 
those  who  believe  in  him,  can  be  partakers  of  this  divine 
benefit.  Thirdly,  That  mankind  are  not  totally  depraved, 
and  that  depravity  does  not  come  upon  them  by  virtue  of 
Adam's  being  their  public  head,  but  that  mortality  and  ac- 
tual evil  only  are  the  direct  consequences  of  his  sin  to 
posterity.  Fourthly,  That  there  is  no  such  thing  as  irre- 
sistible grace  in  the  conversion  of  sinners.  And  Fifthly, 
That  those  who  are  united  to  Christ  by  faith  may  fall  from 
their  faith,  and  forfeit  finally  their  state  of  grace. 

Thus  the  followers  of  Arminius  believe  that  God,  hav- 
ing an  equal  regard  for  all  his  creatures,  sent  his  Son  to 
die  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world ;  that  men  have  the 
power  of  doing  the  will  of  God,  otherwise  they  are  not 
the  proper  subjects  of  approbation  and  condemnation ;  and 
that,  in  the  present  imperfect  state,  believers,  if  not  par- 
ticularly vigilant,  may  through  the  force  of  temptation, 
fall  from  grace,  and  sink  into  final  perdition. 

The  Arminians  found  their  sentiments  on  the  expres- 
sions of  our  Saviour  respecting  his  willingness  to  save  all 
that  come  unto  him ;  especially  on  his  prayer  over  Jerusa- 
lem, his  sermon  on  the  mount,  and  above  all,  on  his  delinea- 
tion of  the  process  of  the  last  day,  where  the  salvation  of 
men  is  not  said  to  have  been  procured  by  any  decree,  but 
because  they  had  done  the  will  of  the  Father,  who  is  in 
Heaven.  This  last  argument  they  deem  decisive ;  because 
it  cannot  be  supposed  that  Jesus,  in  the  account  of  the 
judgment  day,  would  have  deceived  them.  They  also  say 
that  the  terms  used  in  the  Romans  respecting  election,  are 
applicable  only  to  the  Jews  as  a  body,  without  reference 
to  the  religious  condition  of  individuals,  either  in  the  pre- 
sent or  future  world. 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  67 

The  asserters  of  these  opinions  in  Holland  were  vehe- 
mently attacked  by  the  Calvinistic  party,  which  was  pre- 
valent at  the  time ;  and  in  1610  the  Arminians  addressed 
a  petition  to  the  States  of  Holland  for  protection,  from 
which  fact  they  derived  the  name  of  Remonstrants.  In  the 
year  1618,  nine  years  after  the  death  of  Arminius,  the 
Synod  of  Dort  was  convened  by  the  States  General,  and  a 
hearing  given  to  both  parties.  But  the  Synod  was  suc- 
ceeded by  a  shameful  persecution  of  the  Arminians. 

THE  MORAVIANS,  OR  UNITED  BRETHREN. 

CORRECTLY  speaking,  the  Moravians  are  the  oldest  of  the 
Protestant  sects,  inasmuch  as  they  are  historically  de- 
scended from  the  first  dissenters  from  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic Church.  They  may  trace  their  origin  to  John  Huss, 
the  Bohemian  Reformer,  who,  together  with  Jerome  of 
Prague,  created  commotions  and  disturbances  in  the  Mother 
Church,  in  Bohemia,  in  the  fifteenth  century,  and  who 
were  afterward  burned  at  Constance  in  return  for  their  re- 
forming zeal.  The  sect  languished  in  obscurity  and  amid 
persecutions  during  several  centuries,  driven  to  and  fro, 
with  various  and  disastrous  fortunes,  until  at  length,  in 
1722,  they  besought  the  protection  of  a  German  noble- 
man, Count  Zinzendorf,  who  possessed  a  large  estate  at 
Herrnhut,  in  Upper  Lusatia.  The  Count  gave  them  a 
secure  asylum ;  permitted  the  whole  community  to  settle 
within  his  jurisdiction ;  and  from  that  period  the  pros- 
perity and  good  fortune  of  the  society  take  their  date. 

At  Herrnhut  the  Moravian  community  was  organized 
upon  a  novel  plan,  which  combined  social  features  of  a 
marked  and  peculiar  character,  together  with  religious  and 
theological  unity.  They  formed  a  body  which  they  sup- 
posed resembled  the  primitive  apostolical  congregations 
They  adopted  as  articles  of  faith  what  they  regarded  only 
as  the  fundamental  and  chief  doctrines  of  Christianity ; 
while  their  social  arrangements  provided  for  a  community 
cf  goods  such  as  is  referred  to  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apod 


68  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

ties  in  reference  to  one  or  two  of  the  primitive  churches. 
Zinzendorf  seems  to  have  been  a  man  admirably  adapted 
to  the  organization  of  the  new  sect ;  and  he  devoted  not 
only  his  time  and  labor,  but  also  his  wealth,  to  the  firm  estab- 
lishment of  principles  and  arrangements  on  which  the  sect 
was  based. 

The  doctrinal  belief  of  the  Moravians  has  always  been 
a  very  undefined  and  unsettled  one.  They  have  constantly 
avoided  much  argument  or  dispute  on  these  points ;  and 
the  sect  has  maintained  an  ascetic  aspect,  which  is  very 
peculiar.  Their  distinctive  features  are  pre-eminently  of  a 
moral  and  practical  nature,  and  also  of  a  social  character, 
by  which,  indeed,  they  are  widely  distinguished  from  all 
other  denominations.  They  profess  to  receive  the  Augs- 
burg Confession — the  symbol  of  the  Lutheran  Church — as 
the  clearest  statement  of  their  religious  belief,  or  of  the 
belief,  at  least,  of  the  majority  of  them  ;  and  hence,  in 
the  absence  of  any  creed  of  their  own  creation,  they  point 
to  that  Confession  as  the  one  which  comes  nearest  to  their 
views. 

The  chief  doctrinal  opinions  of  the  Moravians  may  be 
defined  as  follows  :  They  believe  in  the  inspiration  of  the 
Scriptures,  and  their  ample  sufficiency  and  authority  as 
the  sole  revelation  of  divine  truth.  They  believe  in  the 
Trinity,  and  give  great  prominence  to  the  history,  nature, 
works,  sufferings,  and  death  of  Christ.  They  carefully 
avoid  abstruse  argument  or  discussion  on  every  topic  of 
theology  ;  and  endeavor  to  make  practical  piety  the  prin- 
cipal aim  of  all  their  religious  teachings.  They  hold  to 
tte  vicarious  atonement ;  they  reject  the  doctrine  of  abso- 
lute predestination ;  and  they  believe  in  a  future  state  of 
rewards  and  punishments.  Yet  few  of  their  doctrinal 
tenets  are  clearly  or  accurately  defined ;  and  very  great 
liberty  and  variety  of  belief  are  allowed  among  them. 

The  most  remarkable  features  connected  with  the  Mora- 
vians refer  to^  their  social  arrangements,  and  to  the 
government  of  their  society  as  a  church.  During  the  ear- 
lier period  of  their  existence  as  a  sect,  they  not  only 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  69 

practiced  and  observed  a  community  of  goods  among  all 
the  members,  but  even  the  marriages  of  the  young  people 
were  arranged  in  the  most  singular  manner.  They  were 
not  permitted  to  court  and  marry  like  other  people,  but 
their  matches  were  disposed  of  by  lot.  No  man  or  woman 
knew  who  was  to  be  the  partner  of  his  or  her  life,  until 
the  moment  before  the  indissoluble  union  took  place  ;  and 
we  may  well  imagine  the  strange  feelings  which  such  a 
disposition  of  matrimonial  matters  would  frequently  pro- 
duce. Sometimes  the  blooming  and  beautiful  maiden 
found  herself  tied  to  the  object  of  her  secret  aversion  and 
contempt ;  and  so  also  the  vigorous  and  athletic  young 
man  suddenly  discovered  that  some  feeble,  deformed,  'and 
sickly  creature,  of  the  opposite  sex,  had  become  his  com- 
panion for  life.  A  more  stupid  and  detestable  mode  of 
arranging  the  domestic  and  social  relations  of  any  commu- 
nity, could  not  possibly  be  imagined ;  and  we  think  it  a 
fortunate  circumstance  that  in  later  and  present  times, 
the  heads  and  leaders  of  the  sect  have  had  wit  enough  to 
abolish  so  objectionable  a  feature  of  their  discipline. 

Where  the  Moravians  form  separate  and  distinct  commu- 
nities, their  mode  of  living  also  is  peculiar.  They  banish 
from  among  them  all  amusements  of  a  sort  which,  as  they 
suppose,  tend  to  produce  worldliness  and  a  neglect  of  the 
growth  of  experimental  piety,  such  as  dancing,  theatres, 
balls,  games  of  cards,  and  even  the  public  promiscuous 
assemblages  of  their  own  young  people.  In  the  Moravian 
communities  in  Europe,  the  unmarried  men  and  boys  all 
reside  together  in  buildings  which  are  separate  from  the 
rest ;  and  the  same  is  true  also  of  the  unmarried  women 
and  young  girls.  The  dwellings  of  the  former  set  are 
called  the  "  Single  Brethren's  Houses ;"  those  of  the 
latter  the  "  Single  Sisters'  Houses."  In  these  dwellings 
various  trades  and  occupations  are  pursued,  suitable  to 
men  and  women.  An  elder  or  superintendent  has  abso- 
lute authority  over  each  house,  and  all  the  inmates  are 
required  to  be  industrious  and  well  employed.  This  ar- 
rangement exists  in  Europe  in  order  to  prevent  the  too 


70  HISTORY    OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

frequent  meeting  of  the  young  people  of  the  two  sexes, 
and  to  diminish  the  disposition  to  early  and  precipitate 
marriages ;  but  in  this  country  this  feature  of  the  sect  has 
been  relaxed,  and  Moravians  live  like  other  people ;  asso- 
ciate with  their  neighbors  and  fellow-members  ;  and  the 
youth  of  the  society  are  permitted  to  approach  each  other 
without  restraint  or  apprehension.  In  this  country  the 
marriage  by  lot  is  also  abolished,  and  Moravians  have  the 
same  freedom  of  choice  which  other  civilized  people  enjoy. 
They  provide  for  the  aged  unmarried  women,  who  are 
supported  in  the  "Widows'  Houses,"  when  they  are  no 
longer  able  to  maintain  themselves.  These  employ  their 
time  in  ornamental  needle- work,  which  is  sold,  and  the 
proceeds  devoted  to  the  support  of  the  houses  in  which 
they  reside.  This  arrangement  prevails  even  in  this 
country  only  where  the  sect  live  together  in  distinct  and 
isolated  communities,  such  as  at  Bethlehem  and  Nazareth 
in  this  State.  The  young  people  are  carefully  educated, 
and  the  schools  of  the  Moravians  are  highly  esteemed. 
The  chief  government  of  the  communities  is  conducted  by 
a  Board  of  Elders,  composed  of  both  sexes.  This  Board 
generally  decides  all  differences  between  the  members  of 
the  community,  of  every  sort.  The  Elders  do  not  preach, 
that  office  being  confined  entirely  to  the  regularly  ordained 
ministers. 

As  a  substitute  for  all  sorts  of  amusement  and  social 
intercourse  in  these  distinct  Moravian  settlements,  public 
exercises  are  held  every  evening  in  the  churches,  which 
consist  of  reading  the  Scriptures,  narrating  accounts  which 
have  been  received  of  the  adventures  of  their  absent  mis- 
sionaries in  various  portions  of  the  world,  and  sacred 
music.  The  last  occupies  a  very  prominent  part  in  the 
religious  services  of  this  sect,  and  is  the  chief  attraction 
connected  with  their  religious  and  social  organization. 
They  likewise  observe  and  celebrate  the  leading  festivals 
of  the  Protestant  Churches,  such  as  Christmas,  Easter, 
and  Pentecost.  They  also  have  a  "  Love  Feast"  previous 
to  every  communion,  at  which  the  whole  congregation  par* 


HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  71 

take  together  of  coffee,  or  chocolate,  and  cakes,  in  token 
of  their  fraternal  feeling  and  union.  On  Easter  morning 
the  Moravians  observe  a  ceremony  which  is  peculiar  to 
themselves : — they  meet  together  in  the  grave-yard  at 
eun-rise ;  religious  services  accompanied  with  music  are 
held ;  and  the  death  of  all  those  members  who  have  de- 
parted during  the  preceding  year,  is  commemorated. 
They  also  endeavor  at  all  times  to  divest  death  of  its 
gloomy  and  repulsive  attributes.  Like  the  Quakers,  they 
observe  no  outward  signs  of  mourning ;  but  unlike  them 
their  funeral  processions  proceed  to  the  grave,  accompanied 
with  solemn  instrumental  music.  Their  grave-yards  are 
usually  laid  out  to  resemble  a  garden ;  and  the  last  long 
home  of  the  living,  or  rather  of  the  dead,  is  invested  with 
everything  which  could  diminish  its  mournful  and  repul- 
sive aspects. 

When  members  of  the  Moravian  communities  violate 
any  of  the  duties  which  devolve  upon  them,  or  are  immoral, 
the  elders  first  reprove  them,  and  expostulate  with  them. 
If  this  process  does  not  reform  them,  they  are  then  ex- 
cluded from  the  Lord's  Supper.  If  they  still  remain  in- 
corrigible, they  are  then  expelled  entirely  from  the  society. 
The  highest  dignitaries  in  the  church  are  the  bishops,  who 
ordain  the  ministers  or  preaching  elders.  They  have  also 
the  order  of  deacons,  into  which  young  preachers  are  ad- 
mitted at  the  commencement  of  their  pastoral  labors. 
The  Moravians  claim  to  have  the  unbroken  apostolic  suc- 
cession from  the  time  of  Christ  to  the  present,  by  tracing 
its  current  through  the  Bohemian  Brethren,  the  immediate 
disciples  of  John  Huss. 

The  most  remarkable  feature  connected  with  this  small 
yet  respectable  sect  is  the  singular  zeal  which  they  have 
always  exhibited  in  reference  to  missionary  work.  Pos- 
sessing very  limited  resources,  they  have  been  extremely 
liberal  in  this  respect.  When  Count  Zinzendorf  died,  in 
1760,  after  presiding  over  the  community  at  Herrnhut  for 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century,  the  whole  concern  was 
insolvent,  although  he  had  expended  all  his  estates  in  the 


72  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

service  of  the  denomination.  Yet  by  subsequent  thrift 
these  difficulties  were  surmounted,  and  immense  sums  have 
since  been  expended  in  the  enterprise  of  evangelizing  the 
world.  They  have  but  six  thousand  members  in  the 
United  States,  of  little  account  in  a  pecuniary  point  of 
view ;  yet  the  same  lavish  expenditure  for  the  heathen 
prevails  among  them  here.  Even  in  Europe  their  actual 
membership  does  not  exceed  fifteen  thousand  persons.  In 
the  United  States  the  whole  number  of  their  congregations 
is  twenty-three,  and  the  number  of  their  clergymen  is 
twenty-five.  They  have  here  also  two  bishops,  and  four 
principals  of  schools.  Their  literary  institutions  are 
situated  at  Bethlehem,  Nazareth,  Lititz,  in  Pennsylvania ; 
and  at  Salem,  in  South  Carolina.  A  few  churches  of  this 
sect  exist  in  England,  and  several  even  in  Ireland.  Their 
missions  at  present  are  among  the  negroes  in  the  Danish 
West  India  Islands,  at  Jamaica,  Barbadoes,  in  Surinam, 
in  Greenland,  in  Labrador,  among  the  Hottentots  and 
Caffres  in  Southern  Africa,  and  among  the  Indians  of 
Upper  Canada  and  Arkansas. 

THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHUECH. 

THIS  prominent  and  active  denomination  of  Christians 
owe  their  origin,  as  a  sect,  to  the  celebrated  John  Wesley. 
This  remarkable  man  was  born  in  the  year  1703,  and  was 
educated  at  Oxford  University,  in  England.  He  entered 
the  Established  Church,  and  was  duly  ordained  a  priest, 
or  presbyter.  At  first  he  had  little  more  conception  of 
the  true  nature  of  religion,  or  the  real  responsibilities  of 
his  office,  than  the  majority  of  the  clergy  around  him,  who 
were  a  worldly,  selfish,  and  dissipated  set  of  men,  in  gene- 
ral, who  knew  much  more  about  card-playing,  fox-hunting, 
and  theatre-going,  than  they  did  about  the  truths  and 
duties  of  Christianity. 

About  the  year  1729,  John  Wesley  "became  converted." 
lie  then  saw  what  he  supposed  to  be  the  horrors  of  the 
existing  state  of  religion  and  morals  in  the  Established 


Drawn  by  R  West  all  R.A. 


AB  33.  AM  AM     ©jyiFS&m®  UT2P  IffiES 
Genesis.  Chap.  22  .Ver.  n&  12. 


Engraved^  F.rearn.v 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  7h 

Church,  and  among  its  clergy  of  all  ranks ;  and  he  deter- 
mined, if  possible,  to  effect  a  reformation.  He  proposed 
to  accomplish  this  work,  not  so  much  among  the  clergy 
themselves  as  among  the  people.  He  discerned  that  the 
kind  of  preaching  which  at  that  time  was  prevalent  in  the 
churches  was  utterly  useless  in  awakening  sinners  to  a  proper 
sense  of  their  moral  condition,  and  that  the  vast  majority 
of  the  churches  were  nothing  less  than  religious  dormito- 
ries, where  humdrum  preachers  were  paid  high  salaries  for 
putting  people  comfortably  to  sleep  twice  on  Sundays. 
Wesley's  first  efforts  were  made  in  the  vicinity  of  Oxford, 
where  he  soon  rendered  himself  very  unpopular  with  the 
astonished  and  disgusted  authorities  and  students  of  the 
University.  He  had  been  converted  by  perusing  the 
writings  of  William  Law,  the  well-known  mystic.  His 
brother,  Charles  Wesley,  shared  his  religious  feelings. 
The  term  "Methodist"  was  applied  to  them  by  their  ene- 
mies, in  consequence  of  their  orderly  and  composed  de- 
meanor. In  1735,  among  other  persons  who  had  joined 
them  was  George  Whitefield,  the  celebrated  pulpit  orator. 
Yet  a  fundamental  difference  of  opinion  existed  between 
Whitefield  and  Wesley,  the  former  being  a  rigid  Calvinist, 
and  the  latter  an  Arminian ;  and  this  difference  of  senti- 
ment characterized  the  followers  of  each  when  they  sub- 
sequently became  associated  in  sects.  In  1735,  the  two 
Wesleys  visited  Georgia  in  order  to  preach  to  the  colo- 
nists ;  but  no  very  important  results  followed  this  expedi- 
tion. 

After  their  return  to  England,  the  Wesleys  continued 
their  reforming  labours  in  London,  in  1739,  and  their  zeal 
and  success  constantly  attracted  more  of  the  public  atten- 
tion, and  increased  the  number  of  their  converts.  No 
preaching  like  theirs  had  ever  before  been  heard  in  Eng- 
land. Their  purpose  was  to  arouse  the  consciences  of  tho 
people,  and  convince  them  of  the  necessity  of  a  new  life 
and  a  regenerated  nature,  in  order  to  escape  future  perdi- 
tion. The  earnestness  and  sincerity  with  which  they 
preached,  produced  prodigious  results.  Wesley  established 


74  HISTORY   OF   ALL    RELIGIONS. 

congregations  in  various  portions  of  England.  He  him- 
self was  a  great  itinerant ;  and  while  he  did  not  possess 
the  same  degree  of  eloquence  which  Whitefield  displayed, 
he  was  equally  successful  in  making  converts.  Yet  he 
always  claimed  to  be  a  member  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church ;  and  this  fact  is  proved  by  an  incident  which  oc- 
curred some  years  after  he  began  his  career  as  a  reformer. 
There  was  a  famous  man  in  that  day,  a  prominent  person 
in  the  ranks  of  elegance  and  fashion,  named  "Beau  Nash," 
who,  like  all  other  dandies,  was  a  hopeless  fool.  He  hap- 
pened to  be  present  when  Wesley  preached  at  Bath, 
and  going  up  to  him  before  the  sermon,  he  asked  him, 
"By  what  authority  he  undertook  to  preach?"  Wesley 
replied,  "  By  that  of  Jesus  Christ,  conveyed  to  me  by  the 
Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  when  he  laid  hands  on  me  and 
said,  <  Take  thou  authority  to  preach  the  gospel.' ':  Nash 
replied  that  "  he  was  acting  contrary  to  the  laws  of  the 
Church."  "  Did  you  ever  hear  me  preach  ?"  said  Wesley. 
"No,  sir,"  replied  Nash,  "I  judge  of  you  by  common  re- 
port." "Well,  sir,"  answered  Wesley,  "I  should  be 
more  charitable  than  to  form  my  opinion  of  you  by  com- 
mon report."  This  incident  serves  to  show  at  once  the 
severity  of  the  preacher,  the  stupidity  of  the  dandy,  and 
Wesley's  regard  for  his  clerical  authority,  as  obtained 
from  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  which  he  always 
highly  valued. 

Wesley  ordained  the  new  preachers  of  the  sect  which 
he  gradually  organized  by  virtue  of  this  authority 
Before  the  period  of  his  death,  in  1791,  when  he  expired 
at  the  age  of  eighty-eight,  his  followers  were  numerous 
throughout  England,  though  they  generally  belonged  to 
the  poorer  classes  of  the  community.  His  labors  did  a 
vast  amount  of  good,  not  only  among  those  who  became 
members  of  his  own  communion,  but  also  in  the  Estab- 
lished Church;  for  the  zeal  of  these  "Ranters,"  as  they 
were  frequently  called,  put  to  shame  the  hypocrisy,  world- 
liness,  and  wickedness  of  the  Established  clergy,  and 
showed  both  them  and  the  people  who  attended  their  ser- 


*SK 

lO    "' 

HISTORY   OP   ALL   RELIGIONS.         ^Vj*»   75  '' 


vices  the  necessity  of  a  reform  at  least  in  external 
priety ;  and  a  few  were  led  to  sincere  reformation  and 
pentance,  both  of  the  clergy  and  the  laity. 

The  first  congregation  of  Methodists  in  the  United 
States  was  formed  in  the  city  of  New  York  in  1766.  It 
was  composed  of  a  few  Irish  immigrants,  who  had  become 
converts  in  their  native  land.  Among  them  was  a  local 
preacher  named  Embury,  who  preached  in  his  own  house, 
at  first,  to  an  assemblage  of  five  persons.  Very  soon  their 
numbers  increased,  and  it  became  necessary  for  them  to 
obtain  a  larger  place  of  worship.  They  next  hired  a  rig- 
ging loft  in  William  Street  in  that  city,  and  continued 
their  exercises.  In  the  progress  of  time  they  found  the 
accommodations  afforded  by  this  house  insufficient ;  and 
the  members,  who  were  generally  poor  and  obscure  persons, 
petitioned  the  Mayor  and  other  prominent  citizens  of  New 
York  for  pecuniary  assistance.  This  was  afforded  them, 
and  in  1768  the  Methodists  obtained  a  lot  on  John  Street, 
and  erected  a  house  of  worship  sixty  feet  in  length  and 
forty-two  in  width,  which  they  named  "Wesley  Chapel." 
This  was  the  first  Methodist  meeting  house  ever  built  in 
the  United  States,  and  their  first  sermon  was  delivered  in 
it  in  October,  1768,  by  Mr.  Embury.  Immediately  after- 
ward the  congregation  sent  a  request  to  John  Wesley  that 
he  would  send  them  a  more  competent  preacher.  In  an- 
swer to  this  petition,  Richard  Boardman  and  Joseph  Pill- 
more  sailed  for  this  country  and  commenced  to  labor,  the 
former  in  New  York,  the  latter  in  Philadelphia.  This 
event  ocurred  in  1770. 

From  this  auspicious  beginning,  the  growth  of  Method- 
ism in  this  country  was  rapid  and  extensive.  The  zeal 
of  their  preachers  and  members,  the  earnestness  and  ex- 
citement which  characterized  their  religious  exercises,  their 
powerful  appeals  to  the  fears  and  hopes  of  their  hearers, 
their  whole  system  of  church  government  and  ecclesias- 
tical discipline,  which  were  then  characteristics  pretty 
much  the  same  as  they  are  now,  were  all  admirably 
adapted  to  impress  their  audiences,  to  influence  the  less 


76  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

intelligent  and  educated  class  of  hearers,  and  to  make  con- 
verts among  the  multitude. 

In  1771,  Francis  Asbury  and  Richard  Wright  were  sent 
out  by  Wesley  to  aid  the  infant  sect.  These  persons  tra- 
veled extensively  throughout  many  of  the  colonies,  preach 
ing  and  making  converts,  and  founding  congregations.  So 
successful  were  they,  that,  in  1773,  there  were  ten  travel- 
ing preachers  and  more  than  eleven  hundred  members 
connected  with  the  churches.  Probably  no  sect  ever  ex 
isted  in  the  United  States  which  increased  in  numbers  as 
rapidly  as  the  Methodist ;  and  the  reason  of  this  is  the 
fact  that  their  method  of  religious  worship  is  eminently 
aggressive,  and  they  use  every  possible  means  and  expe- 
dients which  can  be  devised  to  impress  the  feelings  of 
their  hearers.  This  earnestness  and  zeal  may  seem  to 
some  to  be  carried  to  excess.  But  the  good  results  far 
overbalance  any  evil  arising  from  these  peculiarities. 
No  sect  has  been  more  instrumental  in  pushing  Chris- 
tianity to  the  confines  of  civilization  and  making  the 
oiler  of  salvation  known  to  thousands  who  would 
otherwise  be  neglected. 

At  the  time  of  the  Revolution  the  Methodists  were  a 
well-known  and  numerous  sect.  After  its  conclusion  some 
trouble  occurred  among  them,  in  consequence  of  their 
separation  from  the  Methodist  churches  in  England.  Pre- 
vious to  the  Revolution,  all  the  Methodist  preachers  who 
were  in  this  country  were  merely  "  lay  preachers,"  and 
had  no  power  or  authority  to  ordain  any  persons  to  the 
ministry.  It  now  became  necessary  to  adopt  some  means 
by  which  a  valid  commission  might  be  obtained  by  the 
American  churches,  for  the  purpose  of  ordaining  men  to 
preach  without  being  dependent  upon  their  brethren  in 
England.  At  first,  John  Wesley  had  some  scruples  as  to 
his  power  or  authority  to  comply  with  this  desire,  and  some 
doubts  as  to  the  propriety  of  the  measure.  At  length, 
however,  all  his  doubts  were  removed  ;  and  in  September, 
1784,  assisted  by  other  Methodist  preachers  whom  he  had 


HISTORY   OF    ALL   RELIGIONS.  77 

himself  previously  ordained,  he  consecrated  the  Rev. 
Thos.  Coke,  a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England,  as  a 
Superintendent,  and  ordained  Richard  Whatcoat  and  Tho- 
mas Yasey  to  the  office  of  elders,  and  sent  them  to  the 
United  States  to  carry  on  the  work.  These  men  itiner- 
ated through  the  country,  established  many  churches  in 
various  States,  and  ordained  many  preachers  as  elders 
and  deacons.  Mr.  Coke  was,  in  fact,  the  Bishop  of  the 
church  in  this  country,  for  the  term  "  superintendent"  was 
merely  another  name  for  bishop.  The  question  here 
arises :  How  could  Mr.  Wesley,  who  had  only  received 
priest's  orders,  confer  orders  on  another,  while  diocesan 
bishops  only  possessed  that  right,  according  to  the  views 
of  the  Church  of  England,  to  which  Wesley  still  professed 
to  belong  ?  And,  more  especially,  How  could  he,  a  mere 
presbyter,  confer  on  another  (Mr.  Coke)  the  functions  of 
an  office  which  was  higher  than  his  own — those  of  a 
bishop  ?  This  objection,  however,  was  answered  by  as- 
serting that,  in  the  New  Testament,  the  functions  and  the 
offices  of  presbyters  and  bishops  were  the  same ;  and  that 
if  a  man  were  a  presbyter  he  was  also  a  bishop,  and  could 
confer  upon  another  the  office  which  he  himself  possessed. 
Yet  to  this  position  another  objection  applies,  which  is 
that  this  position  is  contrary  to  the  teachings  of  the  Church 
rf  England,  to  which  Wesley  professed  to  adhere  in  doc- 
trine ;  and  hence  some  think  he  should  either  have 
abandoned  that  connection,  or  renounced  a  theory 
which  that  church  condemned. 

Having  thus  obtained  full  authority,  as  they  supposed, 
to  ordain,  and  preach,  and  carry  on  a  separate  and  inde- 
pendent organization,  the  Methodists  of  this  country  con- 
tinued their  career  with  greater  success  than  before.  In 
1792,  they  held  their  first  General  Conference,  having 
control  over  all  the  district  conferences  of  the  church. 
At  that  time  there  were  two  hundred  and  sixty-six  regular 
preachers,  and  sixty-five  thousand  members,  in  the  United 
States.  New  circuits  had  been  formed  in  various  portions 
of  the  country ;  and  annual  conferences  had  been  organized 


78  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

in  the  different  States,  all  of  which  sent  delegates  to  the 
General  Conference.  At  the  present  time  the  Methodists 
haTe  about  five  thousand  regular  and  traveling  preachers, 
about  nine  thousand  local  preachers,  and  one  million 
church  members,  of  whom  about  two  hundred  thousand 
are  negroes  in  the  Southern  States. 

The  government  of  the  Methodist  Church  is  an  anomaly 
in  itself,  yet  admirably  adapted  to  promote  the  ends  and 
views  of  the  organization.  They  have  bishops,  whose 
jurisdiction  extends  over  the  whole  church  conjointly,  and 
is  not  confined  to  any  one  particular  State.  They  have 
also  presbyters,  or  traveling  and  regular  preachers,  and 
local  preachers  and  deacons.  Their  churches  are  divided 
into  various  classes,  each  class  consisting  generally  of  a 
dozen  members.  Each  class  is  presided  over  by  a  class- 
leader.  They  have  also  stewards,  who  are  chosen  by  the 
quarterly  meeting  conference,  who  have  charge  of  all  the 
moneys  contributed  by  the  members  for  the  support  of  the 
preachers  ;  and  trustees,  to  whom  is  committed  the  care  of 
the  church  property.  The  bishops  are  elected  by  the 
General  Conference.  The  presiding  elders  have  control 
over  the  several  circuits  and  stations  which  compose  a  dis- 
trict. The  "leaders'  meetings"  are  attended  by  all  the 
class-leaders  belonging  to  one  church  or  station.  The 
preachers  receive  but  a  very  small  yearly  salary.  In  the 
country  formerly,  each  one  was  allowed  a  hundred  dol- 
lars for  himself,  a  hundred  for  his  wife,  sixteen  dollars 
for  each  child  under  seven  years  of  age,  and  twenty-four 
dollars  for  each  child  above  that  age.  A  further  allow- 
ance was  made  for  the  table  expenses  and  fuel  of  the 
preacher's  family.  In  cities,  where  such  sums  would 
be  of  little  account  for  the  support  of  a  family,  the  sums 
allowed  were  generally  much  larger.  Bishops  received 
no  greater  remuneration  than  itinerant  preachers. 

During  the  last  few  years  the  Methodist  clergymen  have 
been  generally  better  educated  than  they  were  formerly, 
and  they  have  established  and  conducted  several  literary  in- 
stitutions for  this  purpose.  They  have  the  Wesleyan 


HISTORY  OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  79 

University,  located  at  Middletown,  Connecticut ;  Dickin- 
son College,  at  Carlisle ;  Allegheny  College,  at  Mead- 
ville ;  and  others  of  minor  importance.  Their  most  remark- 
able and  valuable  institution  is  their  Book  Concern,  located 
in  New  York,  which  has  published  a  vast  number  of  reli- 
gious works  and  accumulated  an  immense  capital.  The 
separation  which  took  place  between  the  Northern  and 
Southern  portions  of  the  church,  in  consequence  of  differ- 
ences on  the  subject  of  slavery,  does  not  seem  to  have 
inflicted  much  injury  on  either  branch. 

The  doctrines  of  the  Methodists  are  well  known.  These 
do  not  differ  from  the  teachings  of  other  orthodox  sects, 
except  on  two  fundamental  points.  They  are  strenuous 
Arminians,  holding  to  "free  grace,"  or  the  theory  that 
the  offers  of  the  gospel  are  made  to  all  men  alike,  and  not 
to  an  elect  few ;  and  that  all  may  repent  if  they  desire  to 
do  so.  They  also  believe  in  "  Christian  Perfection,"  or 
the  ability  of  Christians  to  attain  such  a  state  of  holiness 
in  this  world  that  they  will  become  entirely  free  and  ex- 
empt from  all  moral  turpitude.  In  many  respects  the 
Methodists  are  among  the  most  zealous  and  useful  of  reli- 
gious sects.  Among  their  most  eminent  preachers  have 
been  Adam  Clarke,  Bishop  Soule,  Drs.  Bascom,  Durbin, 
Maffit,  and  Olin. 

SAINT  SIMONIANS. 

CLAUDE  HENRI,  Count  de  St.  Simon,  of  the  ancient 
family  of  that  name,  born  in  1T60,  was  engaged  during 
the  greater  part  of  his  life  in  a  series  of  unsuccessful  com- 
mercial enterprises,  a  traveler,  and  in  the  early  portion 
of  his  career  a  soldier  in  America ;  but  having  dissipated  a 
considerable  fortune,  and  being  unable  to  draw  the  atten- 
tion, of  the  public  to  a  variety  of  schemes,  political  and 
social,  which  he  was  constantly  publishing,  he  attempted 
suicide  in  1820.  He  lived,  however,  a  few  years  longer, 
and  died  in  1825,  leaving  his  papers  and  projects  to  Olinde 
Rodriguez.  St.  Simon's  views  of  society  and  the  destiny 


SO  HISTORY    OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

of  mankind  are  contained  in  a  variety  of  works,  and  es- 
pecially in  a  short  treatise  entitled  the  Nouveau  Christi- 
anisme,  published  after  his  death  by  Rodriguez.  This 
book  does  not  contain  any  scheme  for  the  foundation  of  a 
new  religion,  such  as  his  disciples  afterwards  invented. 
It  is  a  diatribe  against  both  the  Catholic  and  Protestant 
pects  for  their  neglect  of  the  main  principle  of  Christian- 
ity, the  elevation  of  the  lower  classes  of  society ;  and  in- 
veighs against  "  Texploitation  de  I'homme  par  I'homme," 
the  existing  system  of  individual  industry,  under  which 
capitalists  and  labourers  have  opposite  interests  and  no 
common  object. 

The  principle  of  association,  and  equal  division  of  the 
fruits  of  common  labor  between  the  members  of  society, 
he  imagined  to  be  the  true  remedy  for  its  present  evils. 
After  his  death  these  ideas  were  caught  up  by  a  number 
of  disciples,  and  formed  into  something  resembling  a  sys- 
tem. The  new  association,  or  St.  Simonian  family,  wat 
chiefly  framed  by  Rodriguez,  Bazar,  Thierry,  Chevalier, 
and  other  men  of  talent.  After  the  revolution  of  July, 
1830,  it  rose  rapidly  into  notoriety,  from  the  sympathy 
between  the  notions  which  it  promulgated,  and  those  en- 
tertained by  many  of  the  republican  party.  In  1831,  the 
society  had  about  3,000  members,  a  newspaper  called 
the  Grlobe,  and  large  funds. 

The  views  of  the  St.  Simonian  family  were  all  directed 
to  the  abolition  of  rank  and  property  in  society,  and  the 
establishment  of  associations,  of  which  all  the  members 
should  work  in  common  and  divide  the  fruits  of  their  labor. 
But  with  these  notions,  common  to  many  other  social  re- 
formers, they  united  the  doctrine,  that  the  division  of  the 
goods  of  the  community  should  be  in  due  proportion  to  the 
merits  or  capacity  of  the  recipient.  Society  was  to  be 
governed  by  a  hierarchy,  consisting  of  a  supreme  pontiff, 
apostles,  disciples  of  the  first,  second,  and  third  order. 

It  was  not  until  about  this  period  (1830)  that  they  be- 
gan to  invest  these  opinions  with  the  form  and  character 
of  a  religion ;  but  shortly  after  having  done  so  they  went 


>«VEKTH  PRESBYTERIAN  CIIDKCU,   PUILADELPIIIA. — Pagt  81. 


HISTORY   OP   ALL   RELIGIONS.  81 

into  great  extravagances.  There  was  a  disunion  among 
them  as  to  the  fittest  person  to  preside  over  the  society;  and 
consequently  Messrs.  Bazar  and  Enfantin  divided,  for 
some  time,  the  duties  and  dignity  of  the  "  Supreme  Fa- 
ther," as  he  was  termed.  But  on  the  19th  of  November, 
1831,  Bazar  and  many  others  left  the  association,  of  which 
Enfantin  remained  the  supreme  father.  Their  doctrines 
and  proceedings  now  became  licentious  and  immoral  to 
the  last  degree.  On  the  22d  of  January,  1832,  the  family 
was  dispersed  by  the  government.  Enfantin  and  Rodri- 
guez were  tried  on  various  charges,  and  imprisoned  for  a 
year.  The  former  afterwards  collected  again  a  part  of 
the  society  at  Menilmontant ;  but  it  was  dissolved  for  want 
of  funds.  Some  former  members  of  the  St.  Simonian  as- 
sociation attained  places  of  rank  and  consideration ;  some 
of  the  most  extravagant  traveled  to  the  East ;  but  En- 
fantin, we  believe,  has  now  no  followers. 

NEW  SCHOOL  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

THE  New  School  branch  of  the  Presbyterian  Church 
claims  to  be  a  genuine  and  consistent  descendant  of  the 
Presbyterian  Church  as  it  exists  in  Scotland,  asserting  at 
the  same  time  that  the  Old  School  are  the  schismatics  who 
have  departed  from  their  ancient  hereditary  faith.  Ac- 
cording to  this  assumption,  the  history  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church  in  Scotland  and  the  United  States  until  the  great 
division  of  1830,  will  apply  to  the  New  School  Church  as 
well  as  to  the  Old ;  and  hence  we  may  fitly  continue  the 
history  of  the  former  by  commencing  with  the  separation 
in  question,  and  describe  the  career  of  the  New  Schoo 
branch  from  that  time  till  the  present. 

Previous  to  the  year  1830,  the  Rev.  Albert  Barnes 
was  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Morristown, 
New  Jersey;  and  while  residing  there  he  preached  and 
published  a  sermon  on  "  The  Way  of  Salvation,"  which 
excited  remark,  as  it  seemed  to  teach  a  theory  somewhat 
different  from  that  set  forth  in  the  "  Confession  of  Faith." 


82  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

The  matter,  however,  attracted  but  little  attention  until 
Mr.  Barnes  received  a  call  from  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Philadelphia,  inviting  him  to  assume  the  pasto- 
ral charge  of  it.  The  case  was  discussed  by  the  Presby- 
tery of  Philadelphia  in  April,  1830  ;  and  at  length  the 
call  was  admitted  by  that  body  according  to  Presbyterian 
usage,  but  accompanied  by  a  protest  against  it,  which  was 
signed  by  twelve  members.  After  Mr.  Barnes'  removal 
to  Philadelphia,  a  complaint  was  made  by  the  aforesaid 
twelve  to  the  "  Synod  of  Philadelphia,"  based  on  the  pro- 
test which  they  had  previously  made,  setting  forth  the 
fact  that  Mr.  Barnes  had  been  settled  and  received  by  the 
Presbytery,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  he  had  taught 
heretical  doctrines  in  the  sermon  entitled  "  The  Way  of 
Salvation,"  and  demanding  an  investigation  of  the  case. 
The  matter  was  fully  discussed  in  the  Synod ;  after  which 
the  whole  subject  was  referred  back  again  to  the  Presby- 
tery. The  latter  debated  the  questions  involved  at  great 
length ;  and,  after  due  deliberation,  expressed  their  disap- 
proval of  the  doctrine  defended  by  Mr.  Barnes,  and  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  confer  with  him  for  the  purpose 
of  convincing  him  of  his  error,  and  bringing  him  back  to 
a  knowledge  and  confession  of  the  truth. 

Mr.  Barnes  and  his  friends  appealed  from  this  decision 
to  the  General  Assembly,  in  1833.  The  questions  in- 
volved, both  of  doctrine  and  discipline,  were  fully  investi- 
gated by  that  body,  who  eventually  reversed  the  proceed- 
ings of  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia,  and  confirmed  the  acts 
of  the  preceding  year.  This  decision  brought  the  dispute 
again  before  the  Synod  for  final  examination,  and  the  re- 
sult was  that  the  Synod  annulled  the  decisions  of  the 
General  Assembly,  and  dissolved  the  Second  Presbytery 
of  Philadelphia,  which  the  Assembly  had  organized  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  wishes  of  the  friends  of  Mr.  Barnes. 
After  some  further  attempts  to  compromise  and  arrange 
the  existing  difficulties,  which  were  unsuccessful,  the  con- 
test was  brought  to  a  crisis  by  the  action  of  the  Rev 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  83 

George  Junkin,  a  member  of  the  Presbytery  of  Newton, 
who  preferred  a  charge  against  Mr.  Barnes  in  a  regular 
and  formal  manner,  before  the  Second  Presbytery  of  Phila- 
delphia, to  the  effect  that  he  had  taught  dangerous  errors 
and  heresies  contrary  to  the  word  of  God,  in  his  recently- 
published  "Notes  on  the  Romans."  After  a  full  investi- 
gation of  the  charge,  with  all  that  endless  volubility  of 
argument  and  harangue  which  generally  characterizes  the 
meetings  and  the  proceedings  of  Presbyterial  bodies,  the 
accused  was  acquitted  by  a  decisive  majority.  This  deci- 
sion of  course  satisfied  nobody  who  was  of  the  opposite 
opinion ;  and  an  appeal  was  at  once  taken  to  the  Synod 
of  Philadelphia,  which  convened  in  1835.  After  another 
interminable  outlay  of  speeches,  the  Synod  reversed  the 
decision  of  the  Presbytery,  and  condemned  it  as  contrary 
to  truth  and  righteousness,  while  they  censured  Mr.  Barnes' 
new  doctrines  as  contrary  to  the  teachings  of  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  and  in  opposition  to  the  instructions  of  the 
word  of  God ;  and  they  further  suspended  Mr.  Barnes  from 
the  functions  of  the  ministry.  From  this  sentence  Mr. 
Barnes  of  course  appealed  to  the  General  Assembly  of 
1886. 

When  this  body  met,  they  were  deluged  with  all  man- 
ner of  "complaints,"  "appeals,"  "protests,"  and  "me- 
morials," having  reference  to  this  dispute.  Eventually, 
after  one  of  the  most  protracted  and  violent  discussions 
known  in  the  history  of  the  churches  in  this  country,  the 
Assembly  rescinded  all  the  acts  of  the  Synod  of  Philadel- 
phia, absolved  Mr.  Barnes  from  all  censure,  removed  the 
sentence  of  suspension  which  had  been  pronounced  upon 
him,  and  proclaimed  in  substance  that  the  theories  which 
he  taught  in  his  aforesaid  books  were  in  accordance  with 
Scripture  and  the  standards  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
This  decision  only  increased  the  alienation  and  bitterness 
which  already  existed  between  the  two  parties  in  the 
Church,  and  it  was  evident  that  these  troubles  would  not 
end  there.  The  differences  which  divided  the  two  bellige- 
rent parties  may  be  described  in  brief  as  depending  upon, 


84  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

or  resulting  from,  the  way  in  which  they  severally  inter- 
preted the  "  Confession  of  Faith,"  one  party  adhering  to 
a  strict  interpretation,  and  the  other  a  more  lax  and  liberal 
one.  Both  factions  now  prepared  themselves  for  a  grand 
and  decisive  conflict  in  the  ensuing  General  Assembly  of 
1837. 

A  week  previous  to  the  opening  of  the  Assembly,  an  in- 
formal Convention  of  Ministers  was  held  in  Philadelphia, 
for  the  purpose  of  comparing  views  and  discussing  the 
matters  in  litigation.  This  convention  sent  the  result  of 
their  deliberations  to  the  General  Assembly,  immediately 
after  its  opening,  in  a  document  which  was  entitled  a 
"  Testimony  or  Memorial,"  and  in  it  they  condemned  as 
erroneous  a  long  list  of  subjects,  which  they  supposed 
would  probably  come  up  for  subsequent  discussion — such 
as  sixteen  doctrinal  errors,  ten  departures  from  the  order 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  and  five  invasions  of  Chris- 
tian discipline.  They  also  set  forth  their  views  of  some 
necessary  reforms,  which  comprised  measures  such  as  these : 
The  abolition  of  the  Plan  of  Union  which  then  existed  with 
the  Congregationalists,  and  which  had  been  adopted  in 
1801 ;  the  discontinuance  of  the  American  Home  Mis- 
sionary and  Education  Societies  ;  the  separation  from  the 
church  of  all  presbyteries  and  synods  which  contained  un- 
sound and  disorderly  members  ;  the  separation  from  the 
church  of  all  presbyteries  and  synods  which  were  not  or- 
ganized on  strictly  and  exclusively  Presbyterian  principles; 
and  the  requisition  on  all  candidates  for  the  ministry  that 
they  shall  make  an  explicit  acceptance  of  the  Confession 
of  Faith  and  Form  of  Government  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church. 

The  Convention  having  sent  in  their  memorial  to  the 
Assembly  of  1837,  the  latter  approved  of  all  its  views 
and  suggestions,  and  carried  out  the  "reforms"  which  it 
had  recommended.  The  doctrinal  views  which  the  conven- 
tion condemned  and  submitted  to  the  Assembly  were  also 
censured  and  pronounced  in  opposition  to  the  teachings 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  As  the  document  which  seta 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  85 

these  alleged  errors  forth  is  one  of  the  most  extraordinary 
and  remarkable  which  has  ever  been  elaborated  in  the 
history  of  any  Christian  church,  and  as  it  is  rarely  to  be 
found  at  the  present  time,  we  will  insert  it  for  the  edifica- 
tion of  our  readers  : 

"  I.  God  would  have  been  glad  to  prevent  the  existence 
rf  sin  in  our  world,  but  was  not  able,  without  destroying 
the  moral  agency  of  man ;  or,  that  for  aught  which  ap- 
pears in  the  Bible  to  the  contrary,  sin  is  incidental  to  any 
wise  moral  system. 

"  II.  Election  to  eternal  life  is  founded  on  a  foresight 
of  faith  and  obedience. 

"  III.  We  have  no  more  to  do  with  the  first  sin  of  Adam 
than  with  the  sins  of  any  other  parent. 

"IV.  Infants  come  into  the  world  as  free  from  moral 
defilement  as  was  Adam  when  he  was  created. 

"  V.  Infants  sustain  the  same  relation  to  the  moral  gov- 
ernment of  God  in  this  world  as  brute  animals,  and  their 
sufferings  and  death  are  to  be  accounted  for  on  the  same 
principle  as  those  of  brutes,  and  not  by  any  means  to  be 
considered  as  penal. 

"VI.  There  is  no  other  original  sin  than  the  fact  that 
all  the  posterity  of  Adam,  though  by  nature  innocent,  or 
possessed  of  no  moral  character,  will  always  begin  to  sin 
when  they  begin  to  exercise  moral  agency.  Original  sin 
does  not  include  a  sinful  bias  of  the  human  mind  and  a 
just  exposure  to  penal  suffering.  There  is  no  evidence  in 
Scripture  that  infants,  in  order  to  salvation,  do  need  re- 
demption by  the  blood  of  Christ  and  regeneration  by  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

"  VII.  The  doctrine  of  imputation,  whether  of  the 
guilt  of  Adam's  sin,  or  of  the  righteousness  of  Christ, 
has  no  foundation  in  the  word  of  God  and  is  both  unjust 
and  absurd. 

"  VIII.  The  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ  were  not 
truly  vicarious  and  penal,  but  symbolical,  governmental, 
and  instructive  only. 

"  IX,  The  impenitent  sinner  by  nature,  and  indepen- 


86  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

dently  of  the  renewing  influence  or  almignty  energy  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  is  in  full  possession  of  all  the  ability 
necessary  to  a  full  compliance  with  all  the  commands  of 
God. 

"  X.  Christ  never  intercedes  for  any  but  those  who  are 
actually  united  to  him  by  faith ;  or  Christ  does  not  inter- 
cede for  the  elect  until  after  their  regeneration. 

"  XI.  Saving  faith  is  the  mere  belief  of  the  word  cf 
God,  and  not  a  grace  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

"  XII.  Regeneration  is  the  act  of  the  sinner  himself, 
and  it  consists  in  a  change  of  his  governing  purpose,  which 
he  himself  must  produce,  and  which  is  the  result,  not  of 
any  direct  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit  on  the  heart,  but 
chiefly  of  a  persuasive  exhibition  of  the  truth,  analogous 
to  the  influence  which  one  man  exerts  over  the  mind  of 
another ;  or  regeneration  is  not  an  instantaneous  act,  but 
a  progressive  work. 

"  XIII.  God  has  done  all  that  he  can  do  for  the  salva- 
tion of  all  men,  and  man  himself  must  do  the  rest. 

"  XIV.  God  cannot  exert  such  influence  on  the  minds 
of  men  as  shall  make  it  certain  that  they  will  choose  and 
act  in  a  particular  manner,  without  impairing  their  moral 
agency. 

"XV.  The  righteousness  of  Christ  is  not  the  sole  ground 
of  the  sinner's  acceptance  with  God ;  and  in  no  sense  does 
the  righteousness  of  Christ  become  ours. 

"  XVI.  The  reason  why  some  differ  from  others  in  re- 
gard to  their  reception  of  the  gospel  is,  that  they  make 
themselves  to  differ." 

The  Convention  pronounced  these  "  errors  unscriptural, 
radical,  and  highly  dangerous,"  which  in  "their  ultimate 
tendency,  subvert  the  foundation  of  Christian  hope,  and 
destroy  the  souls  of  men." 

The  session  of  the  General  Assembly  of  1837,  was  not 
long  enough  to  complete  the  schism  of  the  church,  and 
the  final  dissolution  did  not  take  place  till  the  meeting  of 
that  body  in  1838.  Besides  the  irreconcilable  doctrinal 
differences  which  existed  between  the  two  opposing  factions, 


HISTORY   OF   ALL  RELIGIONS.  87 

other  causes  of  dispute  arose.  The  Moderator  of  the  As- 
sembly refused  to  entertain  a  motion  which  was  made  to 
receive  the  Commissioners  who  had  been  chosen  and  sent 
from  the  four  Synods  of  Genesee,  Geneva,  Utica,  and  the 
Western  Reserve,  because  the  members  of  those  Synods 
were  not  supposed  to  be  rigidly  Presbyterian,  and  because 
their  correspondence  with  the  Assembly  had  been  previ- 
ously suspended  by  a  vote  of  the  Assembly  of  1837,  in 
accordance  with  the  suggestion  of  the  "  Convention"  al- 
ready referred  to.  When  this  extreme  degree  of  rigor 
was  exhibited  by  the  Moderator  of  the  General  Assembly, 
the  New  School  party  deemed  that  the  proper  time  had  at 
length  arrived  for  them  to  secede  and  separate  themselves 
from  a  body  of  whose  acts  and  views  they  so  little  ap- 
proved. Accordingly  it  did  so ;  they  withdrew  from  the 
Assembly,  organized  themselves  in  the  edifice  of  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church,  (Mr.  Barnes',)  elected  a  Moderator 
and  clerks,  and  thus  commenced  a  separate  and  indepen- 
dent ecclesiastical  existence,  which  still  continues  to  the 
present  day.  They  are  sometimes  termed  the  "  Puritan" 
party  in  the  Presbyterian  body,  in  opposition  to  the 
"  Scotch"  party,  which  term  is  applied  to  the  Old  School 
faction.  The  General  Assembly  of  the  former  meet  once 
in  three  years,  that  of  the  latter  once  each  year. 

Since  this  memorable  separation,  the  two  Churches 
have  greatly  flourished ;  though  the  Old  School  have  in- 
creased more  rapidly  than  the  New.  The  differences  of 
doctrine  between  them  may  be  described  simply  thus :  the 
New  School  are  not  quite  as  extreme  Calvinists  as  the 
opposite  party ;  though  the  distinction  between  them  is  in 
truth  so  slight,  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  define  it 
clearly.  Both  parties  claim  to  be  purely  Calvinistic,  and 
disclaim  any  admixture  of  Arminianism  in  their  views. 
They  differ  most  materially  on  the  subject  of  slavery.  As 
a  large  majority  of  the  members  of  the  Old  School  Church 
live  in  Southern  States,  that  Church  has  declared  authori- 
tatively by  her  Synods  and  Assembly  that  slavery  is  right, 
allowable,  and  even  an  institution  recognized  and  permitted 


88  HISTORY    OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

in  the  Scriptures.  As  a  large  majority  of  the  members 
of  the  New  School  Church  live  in  Northern  and  Western 
States,  that  Church  has  decided  by  its  several  tribunals 
that  slavery  is  utterly  wrong,  condemned  by  the  word  of 
God,  atrocious,  and  justifiable  by  no  law  human  or  divine. 
The  literary  institutions  of  the  New  School  Church  are 
the  Theological  Seminaries  at  Auburn,  the  Union  Semi- 
nary in  New  York  city,  Lane  Seminary  at  Cincinnati, 
that  at  Marysville,  Tennessee,  and  the  Western  Reserve 
College,  Ohio.  The  General  Assembly  has  under  ita 
jurisdiction  twenty  synods,  about  one  hundred  and  five 
presbyteries,  fifteen  hundred  ministers,  two  thousand 
churches,  and  about  two  hundred  thousand  regular  com- 
municants. Among  the  eminent  men  belonging  to  the 
New  School  Church  are  Drs.  Nathan  S.  S.  Beman,  Ezra 
Stiles  Ely,  Albert  Barnes,  Lyman  Beecher,  and  Edward 
Robinson.  For  reunion  of  old  and  new  schools,  see 
p.  165. 

THE  DUTCH  REFORMED  CHURCH. 

THE  Protestant  religion  was  established  in  Holland  in 
the  year  1573,  after  that  country  had  achieved  its  liber- 
ties, and  thrown  off  the  yoke  and  tyranny  of  Spain,  through 
the  agency  of  the  heroic  William  of  Nassau,  Prince  of 
Orange.  Previous  to  this  period  the  doctrines  of  the  Re- 
formation had  been  gradually  introduced,  and  isolated 
churches  had  been  formed  throughout  all  the  United  Pro- 
vinces ;  but  it  was  not  till  the  period  just  named  that  the 
Protestant  religion  became  established  and  recognized  by 
law.  It  then  took  the  name  of  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church,  and  became  the  national  religion  of  North  Hol- 
land. 

The  first  members  of  this  communion  who  existed  in 
this  country  were  the  original  settlers  and  inhabitants  of 
Albany  and  New  Amsterdam,  in  the  colony  of  New  York. 
The  name  of  the  latter  town  was  subsequently  changed  to 
that  of  New  York — the  predecessor  of  the  present  vast 
metropolis  of  wealth,  vice,  and  misery,  of  this  country. 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  89 

Soon  after  the  arrival  of  the  Dutch  immigrants  in  the 
colony  of  New  York,  they  sent  to  the  Classis  or  Synod 
of  Amsterdam,  desiring  that  they  might  be  supplied  with 
ministers.  This  request  was  conveyed  by  several  cap- 
tains who  were  in  the  service  of  the  Dutch  West  India 
Company,  who  at  that  time  visited  the  port  of  New  York. 
The  Classis  of  Amsterdam  took  the  matter  into  considera- 
tion, and  finally  selected  several  young  clergymen  to  visit 
the  distant  colony  and  reside  in  it. 

The  first  Dutch  Church  in  the  United  States  was  erected 
in  New  York,  on  the  spot  now  occupied  by  the  Battery,  at 
the  foot  of  Broadway.  Other  authorities,  however,  con- 
tend that  a  small  religious  edifice  had  been  built  shortly 
anterior  to  this,  near  the  lower  end  of  Stone  Street,  about 
the  year  1620.  Another  church  was  afterward  con- 
structed, in  1642,  in  what  was  then  the  Fort.  The  next 
in  the  order  of  time  was  a  church  erected  by  Governor 
Stuyvesant  on  his  farm,  or,  as  it  was  called  in  the  Dutch 
language,  his  bowery.  It  is  from  this  source  that  the 
celebrated  street  now  known  as  the  Bowery,  in  the  city 
of  New  York,  derived  its  appellation.  The  first  ministers 
who  supplied  these  churches,  and  preached  only  in  the 
Dutch  or  Hollandish  language,  were  Dominies  Bogardus 
and  J.  and  S.  Megapolensis.  These  clergymen  came  from 
the  Classis  of  old  Amsterdam  ;  and  it  was  this  fact  which 
afterward  gave  rise  to  the  fierce  and  long  dispute  which 
subsequently  ensued  between  the  Dutch  churches  of  New 
York  and  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  when  the  latter 
claimed  the  right  of  exercising  an  absolute  jurisdiction 
over  the  Dutch  churches  in  the  colony.  Two  parties  arose 
in  those  churches,  one  of  which  was  in  favor  of  recogni- 
zing the  claim  of  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam,  and  the  other 
in  favor  of  regarding  the  churches  in  New  York  as  per- 
fectly free  and  independent  of  foreign  jurisdiction.  Ac- 
cording to  the  view  of  those  who  were  in  favor  of  the 
Amsterdam  Classis,  all  questions  of  devotion  and  disci- 
pline, and  all  casses  of  ecclesiastical  controversy,  were  to 
be  sent  over  to  the  old  country  for  adjudication  ;  and  all 


90  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

young  candidates  for  the  ministry  should  be  sent  there 
also  to  be  educated  and  ordained.  These  obligations  were 
regarded  as  a  great  and  unnecessary  burden  by  the  Native 
American  party  in  the  church,  and  were  strenuously  op- 
posed by  them.  The  controversy  which  ensued  was  one 
of  the  longest  and  most  determined  which  has  occurred  in 
the  history  of  religious  denominations  in  this  country.  At- 
length  the  zeal  of  the  parties  expended  itself;  a  compro- 
mise was  gradually  adopted ;  and  the  authority  and  do- 
minion of  the  foreign  Classis  dwindled  down  till  at  last  it 
amounted  to  nothing  more  than  a  recogition  of  fraternal 
alliance. 

The  Dutch  Reformed  Church  remained  the  leading  sect 
in  New  York  till  about  the  year  1670,  when  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  began  to  attain  a  superior  power  and 
importance.  In  1664  the  province  was  surrendered  by 
the  Dutch  to  the  English  monarch,  and  from  that  period 
the  tide  of  influence  turned ;  although  the  majority  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  colony  were  Dutch,  and  were  connected 
with  the  Dutch  church.  As  might  naturally  be  expected, 
an  intense  spirit  of  jealousy  arose  between  the  two  churches 
in  New  York,  which  has  not  even  yet  entirely  passed 
away.  In  1693  the  project  began  to  be  mooted  by  the 
then  Governor  Fletcher,  of  making  the  Episcopal  Church 
the  established  religion  of  the  colony ;  he  proposed  that 
all  the  citizens  should  be  taxed,  without  exception,  for  its 
support ;  and  in  a  short  time,  through  his  agency,  the  As- 
sembly passed  a  law  to  that  effect,  which  attained  the 
purposed  end  in  the  counties  of  New  York,  West  Chester, 
Richmond  and  Queen's.  This  state  of  things  continued 
from  1694  till  the  year  1776 — a  period  of  eighty-two 
years.  The  Dutch  Reformed  Churches,  beside  maintain- 
ing their  own  preachers,  were  compelled  by  taxes  to  aid 
in  the  support  of  the  clergymen  of  the  Church  of  England. 
This  miniature  copy  of  the  ecclesiastical  despotism  of  the 
established  church  in  England  continued  to  exist  until  the 
outbreak  of  the  American  Revolution,  when  it  fell  to  the 


HISTORY   OF   ALL    RELIGIONS.  91 

ground,  along  with  many  other  detestable  monuments  of 
the  avarice,  tyranny  and  ambition  of  Great  Britain. 

After  the  Revolution,  the  Dutch  Church  in  New  York 
began  to  flourish  greatly.  About  the  year  1771,  Dr. 
John  H.  Livingston  appeared  upon  the  stage  of  action ; 
and  his  superior  talents  and  influence  were  thenceforth  de- 
voted, during  a  long  life,  to  the  promotion  of  the  interests 
of  this  church.  His  is  the  most  eminent  name  which  oc- 
curs in  the  history  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  sect  in  this 
country.  He  was  to  them  what  Dr.  Henry  M.  Muhlen- 
berg  was  to  the  Lutheran  Church.  Dr.  Livingston  was  a 
man  of  unusual  ability,  of  great  prudence,  and  was  admi- 
rably adapted  to  accomplish  much  good  in  the  then  forma- 
tive and  transition  state  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church. 
He,  together  with  other  men  of  like  views  and  spirit,  went 
to  work  and  drew  up  a  plan  of  church  government  for  the 
future  and  independent  control  of  the  churches.  The 
leading  men  in  the  sect  at  that  time  were  Livingston, 
Hardenberg,  Roosevelt,  Westerlo,  Romeyn,  and  Schoon- 
maker;  and  these  having  approved  the  form  of  discipline 
and  government  which  Dr.  Livingston  had  prepared,  it 
was  submitted  to  a  convention  of  all  the  ministers  and 
elders  of  the  church  in  this  country,  and  was  ultimately 
approved  by  them.  A  copy  was  then  sent  to  the  great 
Classis  of  Amsterdam,  in  Holland,  by  whom  it  was  also 
approved.  By  the  attainment  of  this  happy  result,  the 
harmony  and  unity  of  the  churches  were  promoted,  and 
the  most  favorable  results  attained. 

The  next  important  step  in  the  progress  of  this  church 
was  the  establishment  of  a  college  for  the  education  of 
young  ministers.  Of  this  institution  Dr.  Livingston  was 
elected  President.  In  1784  the  old  and  almost  defunct 
Queen's  College,  which  was  located  at  New  Brunswick, 
was  revived  by  the  Classis  ;  and  their  new  college  was  in- 
corporated into  it.  That  institution,  after  various  vicissi- 
tudes, still  continues  to  exist,  with  a  considerable  share 
of  prosperity.  Its  public  buildings,  libraries  and  philo- 
sophical apparatus,  are  all  on  a  liberal  scale.  From  tho 


92  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

year  1816  till  1825,  its  exercises  were  wholly  suspended, 
in  consequence  of  pecuniary  embarrassments.  The  emi- 
nent and  venerable  Dr.  Milledoler  was  for  many  years 
afterward  its  President,  and  the  worthy  successor  of  Dr. 
Livingston.  This  establishment,  which  has  a  theological 
department  connected  with  it  for  the  purpose  of  educating 
young  clergymen,  is  the  chief  literary  institution  belong- 
ing to  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church.  In  New  York  city 
some  of  the  congregations  of  the  sect  are  very  numerous 
and  wealthy;  and  they  number  among  their  members 
many  persons  occupying  the  highest  positions  of  influence 
and  importance  in  the  community. 

The  doctrinal  system  held  by  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church  is  that  of  extreme  and  ultra  Calvinism.  They  be- 
lieve in  the  Predestination  of  a  few  of  the  human  family 
to  eternal  life,  and  the  reprobation  of  a  vast  majority  of 
them  to  eternal  misery.  They  hold  to  the  limited  atone- 
ment of  Christ ;  to  man's  entire  and  total  moral  corrup- 
tion ;  to  his  utter  inability  to  repent,  unless  it  be  in  ac- 
cordance with  a  divine  and  eternal  decree  to  that  effect ; 
and  to  the  final  perseverance  of  the  Saints — that  is,  if  a 
person  be  once  converted,  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  fall 
away  and  come  short  of  salvation.  These  doctrines  were 
proclaimed  by  the  great  Synod  of  Dort,  or  Dordrecht, 
which  convened  in  1618,  and  were  promulgated  there  in 
thirty-seven  articles.  They  are  the  same  as  those  which 
are  set  forth  in  the  Heidelberg  Catechism,  which  is  the 
symbol  of  the  German  Reformed  Church.  The  Dutch 
Church  believes  in  the  inspiration  and  sufficiency  of  the 
Scriptures  as  a  rule  of  faith  and  practice  for  Christians. 
There  is,  in  fact,  no  difference  in  doctrine  between  this 
sect  and  the  Old  School  Presbyterian  Church.  Nor  do 
they  differ  as  to  church  government ;  for  both  believe  in 
the  parity  or  equality  of  all  ordained  ministers,  and  both 
are  governed  by  Synods  and  a  General  Assembly,  or 
what  is  the  same  thing,  by  Classes  and  a  General  Synod. 
Each  congregation  has  its  session,  or  consistory,  which  is 
equivalent  to  the  vestries  of  other  churches.  The  Deacons 


HISTORY   OP  ALL   RELIGIONS.  93 

are  entrusted  generally  with  the  secular  affairs  of  the 
congregation.  The  only  essential  difference  between  the 
Dutch  Reformed  and  the  Presbyterian  churches  is,  that, 
in  the  former,  the  Ruling  Elders  are  always  chosen  to 
serve  for  two  years,  whereas  in  the  latter  they  are  elected 
for  life. 

The  Dutch  Church  in  this  country  holds  a  prominent 
place  among  the  secondary  sects.  Her  preachers  are  gen- 
erally well  educated;  though  sometimes  clergymen  are 
admitted  from  other  denominations  who  are  deficient  in 
suitable  theological  attainments.  They  have  twenty 
Classes,  or  Synods,  and  a  General  Synod.  The  number 
of  members,  or  of  persons  who  attend  the  churches  of  this 
sect,  is  about  a  hundred  thousand.  There  are  three  hundred 
organized  congregations  and  two  hundred  and  ninety  min- 
isters in  the  United  States.  Among  them  are  some  cler- 
gymen of  distinction,  such  as  Drs.  Bethune,  De  Witt, 
Knox,  Milledoler  and  Brownlee.  Among  the  past  and 
present  laymen  of  the  Church,  the  distinguished  names 
occur  of  Van  Rensselaer,  Freylinghuysen,  Roosevelt, 
Schuyler,  Stuyvesant,  and  others.  This  sect  has  always 
been  remarkable  for  its  liberality  of  feeling  toward  other 
orthodox  sects ;  and  it  is  a  singular  fact  that  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Vesey,  the  first  rector  of  Trinity  Church  in  New  York,  was 
inducted  into  his  office,  in  1697,  in  the  Dutch  Church,  in  Gar- 
den street ;  that  two  Dutch  clergymen,  Messrs.  Solyn  and 
Nucella,  officiated  on  the  occasion ;  and  that  Mr.  Yesey  after- 
ward conducted  his  public  services  in  the  Dutch  Church, 
until  the  building  of  Trinity  Church,  which  was  then  in 
progress,  was  completed.  In  1779,  during  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  the  Dutch  Church  in  Garden  street  was 
seized  by  the  British  troops  and  used  as  a  hospital ;  on 
whi';h  occasion  the  vestry  of  Trinity  Church  reciprocated 
the  favor,  and  tendered  to  the  Dutch  congregation  the  use 
of  St.  George  Church  for  the  purpose  of  holding  their  re 
ligious  services  therein.  We  doubt  very  much  whether 
the  Episcopal  Church  would  exhibit  the  same  fraternal 


94  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

feeling  anywhere  at  the  present  day,  to  any  of  the  "  dis- 
senters," even  in  their  direst  necessity. 

HUGUENOTS. 

IN  French  History  this  name  was  given  in  the  sixteenth 
century  to  the  Protestants  or  Calvinists  of  France.  The 
writers  of  that  time  were  not  acquainted  with  the  true  de- 
rivation of  this  popular  epithet,  to  which  they  assigned 
various  absurd  etymologies.  It  is  undoubtedly  a  corrup- 
tion of  the  German  "  Eidgenossen,"  signifying  the  Swiss 
confederates. 

The  Huguenots  arose  in  the  year  1560,  and  greatly  in- 
creased until  the  year  1572,  in  the  reign  of  Charles  IX.,  when 
at  the  feast  of  Bartholomew  on  the  24th  of  August,  nearly 
eighty  thousand  Protestants  were  massacred  in  France, 
by  the  decree  of  this  king.  Twenty-six  years  afterwards, 
Henry  IV.,  caused  the  Edict  of  Nantz  to  be  passed,  which 
enabled  the  Protestants  to  worship  God  agreeably  to  the 
dictates  of  their  consciences.  Their  privileges  were  thus 
enjoyed  by  them  to  the  time  of  the  voluptuous  and  sensual 
reign  of  Louis  XIV.,  when  they  were  again  persecuted, 
their  churches  destroyed,  and  thousands  put  inhumanly 
to  death.  From  the  best  authorities  it  is  said  that  near 
one  hundred  thousand  were  driven  out  of  their  own  coun- 
try during  that  reign. 

Vast  numbers  found  an  asylum  in  England,  who  brought 
with  them  the  manufacture  of  silks,  which  became  a  great 
source  of  wealth  to  the  government  of  England.  Many 
found  refuge  in  the  United  States,  particularly  in  South 
Carolina,  and  their  descendants  are  among  the  most  re- 
spected of  American  citizens. 

THEOPHILANTHROPISTS. 

THIS  title  was  assumed  by  a  society  formed  at  Paris 
during  the  first  French  revolution.  It  is  a  compound 
word,  derived  from  the  Greek,  and  implies  a  profession  of 
adoration  towards  God  and  love  for  mankind. 


HISTORY  OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  95 

The  object  of  the  founders  of  this  sect  was  to  establish 
a  new  religion  in  the  place  of  Christianity,  which  had 
been  formally  abolished  in  France  by  the  Convention,  and 
had  lost  its  power  over  the  minds  of  large  classes  of  the 
people.  The  Directory  granted  these  philosophical  secta- 
rians the  use  of  ten  parish  churches  in  Paris,  where  they 
held  meetings  for  religious  service ;  at  first  on  the  Decadi, 
or  revolutionary  holiday,  afterwards  on  Sunday.  Their 
system  of  belief  was  a  pure  Deism ;  their  service  a  simple 
liturgy,  with  some  emblematical  ceremonies.  The  follow- 
ing inscriptions  were  placed  upon  their  altar :  ' 

FIRST  INSCRIPTION. — We  believe  in  the  existence  of  a 
God,  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul. 

SECOND  INSCRIPTION. — Worship  God,  cherish  your 
kind,  render  yourselves  useful  to  your  country. 

THIRD  INSCRIPTION. — Good  is  every  thing  which  tends 
to  the  preservation  or  the  perfection  of  man. 

Evil  is  every  thing  which  tends  to  destroy  or  deteriorate 
him. 

FOURTH  INSC-RIPTION. — Children,  honor  your  fathers 
and  mothers.  Obey  them  with  affection.  Comfort  their 
old  age. 

Fathers  and  mothers,  instruct  your  children. 

FIFTH  INSCRIPTION. — Wives,  regard  in  your  husbands 
the  chiefs  of  your  houses. 

Husbands,  love  your  wives,  and  render  yourselves  re- 
ciprocally happy. 

"  The  temple  most  worthy  of  the  divinity,  in  the  eyes 
of  the  Theophilanthropists,"  said  one  of  their  number,  "is 
the  universe.  Abandoned  sometimes  under  the  vaults  of 
heaven  to  the  contemplation  of  the  beauties  of  nature, 
they  render  its  author  the  homage  of  adoration  and  grati- 
tude. They  nevertheless  have  temples  erected  by  the 
hands  of  men,  in  which  it  is  more  commodious  for  them  to 
assemble  and  listen  to  lessons  concerning  his  wisdom. 
Certain  moral  inscriptions,  a  simple  altar  on  which  they 
deposit,  as  a  sign  of  gratitude  for  the  benefits  of  the  Crea- 
tor, such  flowers  or  fruits  as  the  season  affords,  and  a 


96  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

tribune  for  lectures  and  discourses,  form  the  whole  of  the 
ornaments  of  their  temples." 

The  attempt  on  the  part  of  the  Theophilanthropists  to 
found  a  new  religion  was  a  failure.  In  1802,  they  were 
forbidden  the  use  of  the  churches  of  Paris  by  the  consuls, 
and  then  ceased  to  exist. 

GNOSTICS. 

GNOSTICISM  was  a  philosophical  system  of  religion 
which  prevailed  in  the  East  during  the  first  four  centuries 
of  our  era,  and  exercised  great  influence  upon  Christian 
theology,  giving  birth  to  numerous  and  widely-diffused 
heresies,  and  insinuating  itself  under  a  modified  form  even 
into  the  writings  of  the  most  orthodox  fathers.  The  ori- 
gin of  the  system  is  involved  in  considerable  obscurity ;  in 
its  leading  principles  it  seems  to  point  to  the  Oriental 
philosophy  as  its  genuine  parent,  but  it  is  objected  to  this 
solution  that  the  fathers  refer  it,  together  with  the  errors 
similarly  introduced  by  Platonism,  to  a  Greek  origin,  and 
appeal  to  the  cosmogonies  of  Hesiod  and  others,  as  the 
real  exemplars,  from  which  it  is  imitated.  It  is  to  be  re- 
marked, however,  tfrat  the  fathers  were  universally  igno- 
rant of  the  Oriental  philosophy ;  from  which  we  may  con- 
clude that  their  opinion  upon  such  a  point  is  not  necessa- 
rily conclusive.  A  modern  solution  conceives  Alexandria 
to  have  been  the  central  point  to  which  the  speculations 
of  the  Greeks  and  the  Orientals  converged,  and  from 
whence  they  frequently  re-issued,  after  having  undergone 
the  process  of  fusion  into  a  common  mass.  It  is  certain 
that  Alexandria  was,  during  the  time  we  have  spoken  of, 
a  celebrated  resort  of  Gnostic  opinions,  both  within  and 
without  the  Church. 

The  grand  principle  of  this  philosophy  seems  to  have 
been  an  attempt  to  reconcile  the  difficulties  attending  upon 
the  existence  of  evil  in  the  world.  Evil,  it  was  supposed, 
being  the  contrary  of  good,  must  be  contrary  to,  and 
therefore,  the  opponent  of  God ;  if  the  opponent  of  God, 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  97 

then  independent  of  him  and  coeternal.  From  the  many 
imperfections  which  are  involved  in  all  outward  and  sensi- 
ble objects,  it  was  held  that  matter  must  contain  in  itself 
the  principle  of  all  evil  The  human  soul  on  the  contrary, 
which  aspires  after,  and  tends  to  a  higher  and  more  per- 
fect development,  was  held  to  be  the  gift  of  the  Supreme 
Deity,  imparted  to  man  for  the  sake  of  combating  against 
the  material  principle,  and  with  the  prospect  of  finally 
subduing  it.  From  the  Supreme  God  on  the  one  hand, 
and  matter  on  the  other,  succeeding  philosophers  pro- 
duced various  fanciful  genealogies  of  superior  intelligences, 
under  the  name  of  JEons — a  Greek  word,  signifying  pro- 
perly, periods;  thus  representing  these  divinities  them- 
selves by  a  name  expressive  of  the  time  and  order  of  their 
generation,  much  as  in  our  current  language  the  term 
reign,  or  government,  is  frequently  put  for  the  king  or 
ministers  governing.  The  Demiurgus  who  formed  the 
world  out  of  matter,  appears  to  have  been  an  JEon  de- 
rived from  the  evil  principle.  He  was  also  the  God  of 
the  Old  Testament,  who  was  considered  by  the  Gnostics 
to  be  an  object  of  aversion  to  the  One  Supreme  God,  to 
counteract  whose  machinations  the  2Eon  Christ  was  sent 
into  t^ie  world.  This  is  the  earlier  and  simpler  system, 
which  vs  attributed  to  Simon  Magus ;  the  number  of  the 
.J3ons  w&3  fancifully  multiplied  in  latter  times,  and  an  ex- 
travagant theory  of  morals  founded  upon  the  system. 
The  object  of  this  principally  was,  as  may  be  supposed, 
to  depreciate  the  honor  due  to  the  body,  as  being  a  part 
of  matter,  and  to  elevate  the  thinking  faculty,  or  at  least, 
to  remove  it  from  all  consideration  of  worldly  things. 
The  Gnostics  imagined  that  by  assiduous  practice  of  cer- 
tain mental  and  bodily  austerities,  they  could  obtain  an 
intuition  of  the  divine  nature,  and  dwell  in  communion 
with  it ;  and  this  part  of  their  system  is  adopted  to  a  con- 
siderable extent  by  Clemens  Alexandrinus,  whose  opinions, 
as  expressed  in  the  Pcedagogus,  are  very  similar  to  those 
of  a  Pietist  of  more  modern  times. 

The  Gnostics  split  in  process  of  time  into  various  secta, 


HISTORY    OF   ALI    RELIGIONS. 

'  distinguished  rather  by  the  different  cosmogonies  they  in- 
vented, than  by  any  variation  in  principle.  Of  these,  the 
principal  were  founded  by  Carpocrates,  Basilides,  Tatian, 
and  Valentinus.  The  system  did  not  survive  the  4th  cen- 
tury. The  Christians  seem  sometimes  to  have  adopted 
the  general  designation  of  Gnostics. 

MOKMONS  OR  LATTER  DAY  SAINTS. 

NOTWITHSTANDING  the  general  abhorrence  and  con- 
mpt  with  which  the  Mormons  are  regarded  by  all  other 
religious  sects,  they  adhere  pertinaciously  to  their  claim  to 
be  the  true  church ;  and  are  in  no  degree  daunted  or  dis- 
couraged by  the  universal  hostility  which  is  manifested 
against  them.  Their  pretensions,  and  the  prominent  place 
which  they  have  obtained  in  the  history  of  religion,  false 
and  true,  in  the  United  States  render  it  proper  that  we 
should  include  them  in  this  work. 

Joseph  Smith,  the  founder  of  this  remarkable  commu- 
nity, was  born  in  Sharon,  Vermont,  in  December,  1805. 
•  In  his  youth  his  parents  removed  to  Palmyra,  New  York, 
and  he  commenced  his  public  career  in  the  vicinity  of  thai 
place.  He  never  enjoyed  the  benefit  of  much  education  \ 
to  "read,  write,  and  cypher"  was  the  extent  of  his  scholas- 
tic attainments.  He  pretended  that  in  September,  1823, 
he  was  favored  with  a  divine  vision,  in  which  he  saw  a 
light,  brighter  than  the  noonday  sun,  and  that  an  angel 
from  heaven  stood  before  him  in  person,  who  informed  him 
that  he  was  chosen  by  Christ  to  proclaim  a  new  religion, 
an  improvement  upon  the  old  Christianity ;  that  the  end 
of  the  world,  the  latter  day  glory,  was  approaching,  of 
which  he  (Smith)  was  appointed  to  be  the  herald  and  the 
forerunner.  He  was  also  informed  that  certain  golden 
plates,  containing  a  new  revelation,  and  a  record  of  the 
history  of  the  Aborigines  of  this  continent,  were  buried 
at  a  certain  place  under  ground  ;  and  he  was  commissioned 
to  obtain,  read,  and  interpret  them,  and  proclaim  their 
contents  to  the  world. 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  99 

It  is  pretended  that  these  plates  contained  the  Book  of 
Mormon,  which  has  since  become  well  known.     Smith  be- 
gan to  give  himself  out,  after  this,  as  a  teacher  sent  from 
.    God.     His  immediate  relations  and  friends  were  those  to 
whom  he  first  preached ;  and  after  some  time  and  labor, 

•  lie  succeeded  in  converting  five  of  them  to  his  creed.    The 
^  first  regular  organization  of  a  Mormon  church  took  place 

in  April,  1830,  in  the  town  of  Manchester,  New  York. 
"  The  translation  of  the  contents  of  the  golden  plates,  which 
were  written  in  an  unknown  and  mysterious  language, 
Smith  professed  to  accomplish  by  means  of  the  "  Urim 
and  Thummim,"  the  keys  of  light  and  knowledge  which 

,.   were  miraculously  imparted  to  him.     The   opponents  of 

^  the  Mormons,  however,  assert  that  the  Book  of  Mormon 
is  nothing  more  than  a  religious  history,  or  romance, 
written  by  a  person  named  Solomon  Spaulding,  who  was 
a  graduate  of  Dartmouth  College,  and  became  a  clergy- 
jnanf  who  afterward  relinquished  the  profession  and  en- 
•  tered  into  commercial  pursuits.  Having  removed  to  Ohio, 

;  he  conceived  the  idea  of  writing  such  a  work,  and  he  spent 
three  years  in  the  execution  of  it.  Two  of  the  principal 
personages  in  the  story  are  Mormon  and  Moroni,  and  from 
the  former  of  these  the  book  is  named.  In  1812  Spauld- 
'  ing  brought  the  manuscript  to  Pittsburgh,  and  offered  it 
to  a  bookseller  named  Patterson,  for  the  purpose  of  pub- 
"^  lication.  Before  the  matter  could  be  arranged,  Spaulding 
died,  and  the  work  remained  in  the  possession  of  Patter- 
son, who  paid  no  further  attention  to  it.  After  his  death, 
in  1826,  the  manuscript  fell  into  the  hands  of  one  Sidney 
Iligdon,  by  whose  means  it  came  under  the  inspection  of 
Joseph  Smith.  From  it  Smith  conceives  the  idea  of  found- 
ing a  new  sect,  on  the  basis  of  the  new  revelation  which 
this  book  was  supposed  to  contain. 

The  Book  of  Mormon  is  an  imaginary  narrative  of  the 
early  history  of  the  American  Indians,  who,  the  writer 
endeavors  to  show,  are  the  descendants  of  the  ten  lost 

£  tribes  of  the  Jews.     It  gives  a  detailed  account  of  their 

•  supposed  journey  from  Jerusalem,  both  by  land  and  sea, 


100  HISTORY   OP   ALL    RELIGIONS. 

till  their  arrival  in  America,  under  the  guidance  of  Nephi 
and  Lehi.  The  identity  of  these  two  works  was  proved 
by  the  assertions  under  oath  of  several  respectable  per- 
sons who  had  heard  Spaulding  read  portions  of  his  manu- 
script, and  who  readily  discovered  that  a  perfect  sameness 
and  resemblance  pervaded  them.  Yet  the  book  answered 
the  purposes  of  Smith  admirably,  for  it  was  written  in  an 
antique  style,  was  filled  with  Oriental  allusions,  and  was 
singularly  adapted  to  answer  the  preposterous  end  to  which 
the  Prophet  subsequently  appropriated  it. 

The  great  object  which  Smith  professed  to  have  in  view 
in  the  establishment  of  his  new  sect  was  to  prepare  the 
way  for  the  second  coming  of  Christ  to  judgment,  to  usher 
in  the  millennium,  and  to  gather  a  round  him  all  those  who, 
by  belonging  to  his  community,  should  be  in  a  state  of 
preparation  to  receive  Christ,  and  thus  become  heirs  of 
Heaven.  His  earnestness  and  zeal  soon  gathered  around 
him  a  considerable  number  of  adherents;  and  the  first 
conference  of  all  the  "  saints"  was  held  in  June  1830,  at 
Fayette,  N.  Y.  The  palpable  absurdity  and  falsehood  of 
the  whole  concern  soon  surrounded  Smith  and  his  asso- 
ciates with  many  and  bitter  enemies,  and  they  found  it 
necessary  to  remove.  They  first  emigrated  to  Kirkland, 
Ohio;  but  here  their  sojourn  was  short.  After  a  few 
weeks  they  proceeded  further  west,  and  halted  in  Jackson 
county,  Missouri.  Here  Smith  resolved  to  found  the 
"  New  Jerusalem."  The  surrounding  country  was  beau- 
tiful, game  and  fish  of  all  kinds  were  abundant,  and  every- 
thing seemed  propitious  for  the  purposes  of  the  new  pro- 
phet. Moreover,  the  Almighty  had  informed  Smith,  by  a 
direct  "revelation,"  that  this  spot  was  the  one  which  was 
agreeable  to  him  as  the  future  home  of  the  saints,  and 
predestined  for  that  purpose.  A  site  for  the  temple  was 
laid  out  and  dedicated.  Subsequently  a  printing  press 
was  obtained,  and  a  paper  commenced,  called  the  Evening 
and  Morning  Star.  At  this  time  Smith's  followers 
amounted  to  several  hundreds.  But  soon  the  new  sect 
was  again  surrounded  and  assailed  by  persecution ;  serious 


HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  101 

charges  were  made  against  their  morals  ;  the  people  around 
them  rose  in  a  mob ;  public  indignation  meetings  were 
held ;  some  of  the  Mormon  leaders  were  taken,  tarred,  and 
feathered  ;  and  at  last  the  whole  community  were  expelled 
from  the  county.  The  greater  portion  of  them  took  refuge 
in  the  neighboring  county  of  Clay,  where  for  a  time  they 
obtained  a  precarious  resting  place. 

The  Mormons  remained  in  this  locality  about  four  years, 
at  the  end  of  which  time  their  enemies  became  so  deter- 
mined and  resolute  in  their  persecutions  that  a  new  flight 
became  necessary  to  their  safety.  On  one  occasion  they 
were  attacked  by  an  armed  band  of  several  hundred  per- 
sons at  a  place  known  as  "Hawn's  Mill,"  when  twenty 
persons  were  killed  and  wounded.  Threats  were  made  to 
exterminate  the  whole  community,  and  it  became  abso- 
lutely necessary  for  them  again  to  remove.  Then  it  was 
that  these  persecuted  fanatics  selected  the  place  which 
they  afterwards  termed  Nauvoo,  Illinois,  as  their  head- 
quarters. The  "  saints"  numbered  at  this  period  about 
ten  thousand  persons,  including  women  and  children ;  and 
soon  afterward  they  increased  to  fifteen  thousand  by  the 
addition  of  immigrants  from  the  Eastern  States  and  Eng- 
land. At  Nauvoo  they  immediately  commenced  to  lay 
out  and  build  a  regular  town,  to  erect  a  temple,  and  pro- 
vide other  edifices  suitable  to  their  future  plans  and  pur- 
poses. They  had  purchased  the  land  on  which  the  new 
town  was  erected ;  and  as  none  but  Mormons  sought  a 
residence  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  place,  the  whole 
community  was  of  one  mind,  and  the  Mormon  leaders 
possessed  not  only  supreme  religious  influence,  but  all  the 
secular  and  political  power. 

The  temple  which  was  erected  at  Nauvoo,  was  an  extra- 
ordinary building.  The  foundations  were  laid  in  April, 
1841,  Joseph  Smith  officiated  on  the  occasion.  It  was 
built  of  polished  white  limestone,  being  a  hundred  and 
thirty-eight  feet  in  length,  and  eighty-eight  in  breadth. 
It  was  surmounted  by  a  spire  a  hundred  and  seventy  feet 
nigh.  In  the  course  of  several  years  the  Mormons  erected 


102  HISTORY    OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

two  thousand  houses,  public  schools,  and  buildings ;  had 
established  a  paper  known  as  the  Times  and  Seasons,  and 
had  sent  forth  a  large  number  of  missionaries  arid  elders 
to  Europe  and  other  distant  countries  to  make  converts 
The  success  of  some  of  these  emissaries  was  extraordinary, 
Orson  Hyde,  and  Heber  C.  Kimball,  converted  and  bap- 
tised two'  thousand  persons  in  England  and  Scotland  dur- 
ing the  course  of  a  single  year;  though  all  their  converts 
were  among  the  lowest  and  most  ignorant  classes  of  the 
community. 

Nauvoo  and  the  Mormons  thus  continued  to  grow  at  a 
rapid  rate ;  but  with  prosperity  came  its  usual  concomi- 
tants in  such  cases — spiritual  pride  and  internal  dissen- 
sions. It  was  about  this  period  that  Sidney  Rigdon,  one 
of  the  twelve  apostles,  first  proposed  and  asserted  the  doc- 
trine of  the  plurality  of  wives  as  being  a  part  of  the  true 
Mormon  creed.  It  is  but  justice  to  Joe  Smith  to  say,  that 
he  was  opposed  to  this  innovation,  and  that  it  was  not 
till  after  his  death  that  it  became  a  fully  recognized  and 
admitted  principle  and  practice  of  the  Mormon  commu- 
nity. Rigdon  was  subsequently  expelled  from  the  church ; 
but  he  had  gained  a  large  number  of  followers  in  his  views, 
and  a  dangerous  schism  followed  his  exit.  But  the  chief 
trouble  of  the  Mormons  at  Nauvoo  arose  from  the  fact 
that,  led  on  by  Smith  and  his  confederates,  they  assumed 
an  independent  jurisdiction  in  Nauvoo,  refusing  to  ac- 
knowledge the  authority  of  the  State  of  Illinois  within 
their  limits  ;  and  a  law  was  passed  by  the  municipal  au- 
thority of  Nauvoo,  severely  punishing  any  stranger  who, 
within  the  limits  of  the  city,  should  use  any  disrespectful 
language  toward  the  prophet  or  his  religion.  So  great 
had  the  arrogance  of  these  fanatics  become,  that,  in  1843, 
Smith  was  publicly  nominated  and  proposed  by  them  as  a 
candidate  for  the  Presidency  of  the  United  States. 

Various  acts  of  injustice  and  tyranny  gradually  in- 
censed the  community  in  Illinois  against  the  Mormons, 
which  ultimately  led  to  furious  hostilities,  and  to  the  death 
of  Smith  and  several  of  his  leading  associates.  They  were 


HISTOKY    OF    ALL    RELIGION-S.  103 

arrested  and  confined  at  Carthage  on  the  charge  of  de*- 
stroying  the  office  of  a  newspaper  named  the  Expositor, 
which  had  been  commenced  at  Nauvoo  by  an  anti-Mormon ; 
and  also  on  the  charge  of  treason  against  the  authority 
of  the  State  of  Illinois.  While  confined  on  this  charge, 
an  infuriated  mob  attacked  the  jail ;  fire-arms  were  used  ; 
and  Smith,  in  attempting  to  escape  through  a  window,  was 
struck  by  many  balls,  and  fell  to  the  ground  a  corpse. 
Thus  ended  the  life  and  personal  career  of  one  of  the  most 
extraordinary  men  of  the  age,  who  without  learning  or 
culture,  or  real  ability  of  any  kind,  but  by  the  mere  force 
of  boundless  craft  and  impudence,  succeeded  in  establish- 
ing a  sect  which  has  obtained  no  obscure  place  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  present  century,  and  which  bids  fair  to  exist 
for  several  generations  to  come. 

It  was  after  the  death  of  Smith  that  Brigham  Young, 
the  present  leader  of  the  Mormons,  first  assumed  a  prom- 
inent place  in  their  community.  He  succeeded  in  being 
chosen  to  the  Presidency  of  the  sect,  in  the  defunct  pro- 
phet's place ;  and  he  has  since  managed  to  retain  his 
supremacy.  He  resembles  his  predecessor  in  many  im- 
portant respects — in  his  want  of  education,  his  impudence, 
his  craft  and  cunning,  and  his  ability  to  control  the  opin- 
ions and  actions  of  his  co-religionists.  But  the  death  of 
Smith  did  not  appease  the  vengeance  of  the  enemies  of 
the  Mormons.  New  persecutions  were  commenced,  which 
resulted  finally  in  an  attack  on  Nauvoo,  and  the  expulsion 
of  the  Mormons  from  Illinois  in  January,  1846.  They 
now  resolved  to  seek  a  home  beyond  the  Rocky  Mount- 
ains. They  had  heard  of  the  desirable  features  of  a  tract 
in  the  distant  and  unoccupied  territory  of  Utah,  named 
the  Great  Salt  Lake  Valley,  and  thither  they  determined 
to  travel.  Four  thousand  persons  constituted  the  com- 
pany, who  under  the  guidance  of  Brigham  Young,  com- 
menced and  completed  this  long  and  laborious  journey. 
In  July,  1847,  they  reached  Great  Salt  Lake  Valley,  and 
began  to  build  the  town  which  they  still  inhabit. 

The  career  of  the  Mormons  since  their  removal  to  Utah 


104  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

is  so  familiar  to  the  public  that  it  is  unnecessary  for  us  to 
dwell  upon  it  here.  We  will  conclude  with  a  brief  state- 
ment of  their  doctrines.  They  believe  in  the  Trinity,  en- 
tertaining on  this  point  the  orthodox  Christian  theory. 
They  deny  that  men  will  be  punished  in  any  way  for 
Adam's  sin,  or  that  they  fell  in  consequence  of  Adam's 
transgression.  They  believe  that  all  mankind  may  be 
saved  by  Christ's  atonement,  and  by  the  use  of  the  sacra- 
ments and  ordinances  of  the  Mormon  church.  These  or- 
dinances they  hold  to  be  Faith,  Repentance,  Baptism  by 
Immersion,  Laying  on  of  hands,  and  the  Lord's  Supper. 
They  believe  that  the  true  church  should  be  organized 
like  the  apostolic  church,  with  Apostles,  prophets,  elders, 
teachers,  evangelists,  &c.,  who  should  possess,  like  them, 
the  power  to  work  miracles,  to  heal  the  sick,  &c.  They 
hold  that  the  Scriptures  are  inspired,  and  that  the  Book 
of  Mormon  is  equally  so,  and  possessed  of  an  authority 
and  sanctity  similar  to  that  of  the  Bible ;  that  Israel  will 
be  literally  "  gathered  in  ;"  that  Christ  will  reign  in  per- 
son a  thousand  years  on  the  earth ;  that  his  head-quarters 
will  be  with  the  Mormon  saints,  wherever  they  may  be  at 
the  time  of  his  advent ;  and  that  when  he  comes  there 
will  be  a  new  heaven  and  a  new  earth.  In  addition  to 
these  points,  they  hold  to  the  literal  resurrection  of  the 
body,  a  literal  judgment,  and  the  reigning  of  the  saints 
with  Christ  over  the  wrhole  earth. 

But  the  most  remarkable  feature  of  the  Mormon  creed 
is  their  "spiritual  wife"  doctrine.  This  theory  is  based 
on  the  idea  that  the  future  kingdom  of  the  saints  is  to 
consist  solely  of  their  own  posterity,  and  hence  the  more 
children  a  "  saint"  has,  the  more  heirs  of  glory  are  created ; 
and  that  women  may  become  heirs  of  heaven  also,  by  be- 
coming "sealed"  to  a  saint,  and  entering  paradise  with 
him.  This  spiritual  relation,  however,  always  involves 
the  usual  incidents  which  accompany  ordinary  marriage, 
and  it  is  in  fact  nothing  but  a  subterfuge  to  excuse  and 
justify  the  monstrous  sensual  excesses  of  polygamous  life, 
in  which  they  indulge.  Some  of  the  saints  are  said  to 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  105 

have  as  many  as  twenty,  others  thirty,  and  others  even 
forty  wives ;  and  the  having  of  more  than  one  wife  is  the 
generally  prevalent  custom  among  the  inhabitants  of  Salt 
Lake  City.  It  is  probable  that  the  whole  Mormon  com- 
munity now  dwelling  in  Utah  territory  may  amount  to 
forty  thousand  persons ;  and  the  sum  total  of  the  sect 
throughout  the  world  cannot,  by  the  most  liberal  estimate, 
exceed  a  hundred  thousand.* 

NECESSARIANS. 

THAT  scheme  which  represents  all  human  actions  and 
feelings  as  links  in  a  chain  of  causation,  determined  by 
laws  in  every  respect  analogous  to  those  by  which  the 
physical  universe  is  governed,  is  termed  the  Doctrine  of 
Necessity.  This  doctrine  has  been  attacked  and  defended 
with  great  zeal,  in  almost  every  period  of  speculative  in- 
quiry since  the  Reformation. 

The  inductive  method  of  research,  applied  by  Bacon 
and  his  contemporaries  to  the  phenomena  of  nature,  led 
very  soon  to  the  adoption  of  a  similar  method  in  reference 
to  the  phenomena  of  mind.  The  discovery,  or  rather  the 
distinct  re-assertion,  of  the  law  of  association  by  Hobbes, 
and  the  ready  solution  which  it  appeared  to  furnish  of 
states  of  consciousness,  which,  without  it,  would  have 
seemed  capricious  and  unaccountable,  encouraged  many 
philosophers  to  attempt  its  application  to  every  province 
of  the  human  mind.  It  is  only  in  connection  with  this 
fact  that  the  prevalence  of  Necessarian  views  in  modern 
times  can  be  adequately  explained. 

"Without  venturing  an  opinion  on  the  merits  of  the 
question  at  issue,  between  the  advocates  of  free  will  and 
of  necessity,  we  are  sufficiently  assured  of  the  historical 
fact,  that  the  distinction  between  man  and  nature,  between 
the  actions  of  a  self-conscious  agent  and  the  workings  of 

*  See  the  Social,  Religious,  and  Political  History  of  the  Mormons, 
from  their  Origin  to  the  Present  Time.  Edited  and  Completed  bj 
Samuel  M.  Smucker,  A.  M.  New  York,  1857. 


106  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

blind,  unintelligent  powers,  was  considered  by  the  great 
philosophers  of  antiquity  as  the  groundwork  of  their  sys- 
tems of  morality,  and  as  involved  in  the  very  conception 
of  moral  science.  It  was  natural  that  this  distinction 
should  be  felt  to  be  a  barrier  to  the  progress  of  the  exclu- 
sively empirical  psychology  to  which  we  have  alluded. 
To  the  historians  of  man's  nature,  the  necessity  of  his  ac- 
tions appeared  in  the  light  of  an  hypothesis  which  lay  at 
the  very  foundation  of  their  inquiries,  precisely  as  the 
natural  philosopher  is  compelled  to  assume  the  regular  re- 
currence of  the  same  outward  phenomena  under  the  same 
circumstances. 

The  psychologist  considers  the  states  of  which  he  is 
conscious,  merely  as  they  are  related  to  each  other  in 
time ;  and,  thus  considered,  it  seems  to  him  a  mere  identi- 
cal proposition  to  assert  that  all  that  can  be  known  of  them 
is  the  order  of  their  succession.  If  their  succession  were 
arbitrary  or  uncertain,  nothing  could  be  known  of  it,  and 
the  science  which  he  professes  could  no  longer  have  an 
existence. 

It  is  in  this  consideration,  rather  than  in  the  dialectic 
subtleties  by  which  the  doctrine  has  been  sometimes  de- 
fended, that  the  real  strength  of  the  Necessarian  lies.  So 
long  as  he  can  maintain  the  merely  phenomenal  character 
of  human  knowledge,  he  can  reduce  his  opponents  to  the 
dilemma  of  either  denying  the  possibility  of  mental  sci- 
ence altogether,  or  of  admitting  the  existence  of  those 
uniform  laws  which  are  its  only  object. 

BAXTEEIANS. 

IN  ecclesiastical  history,  the  name  of  Baxterians  is  ap- 
plied to  those  theologians,  who  adopted  the  sentiments  of 
Richard  Baxter  on  the  subject  of  grace  and  free  will,  form- 
ing a  sort  of  middle  way  between  Calvinism  and  Armin- 
ianism.  They  never  formed,  strictly  speaking,  a  sect,  and 
the  name  is  now  disused ;  nevertheless,  similarly  modified 
opinions  are  common  among  Presbyterians  at  this  day. 


Jfraxm,  by  JtWerttM.  JcA. 


Enfrare*  by  HEuany 


'm 

vvj;nk'?-   Chap.  2  Ver.4 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  107 

With  the  Calvinist,  Baxter  professes  to  believe  that  a 
certain  number,  determined  upon  in  the  divine  councils, 
will  be  infallibly  saved ;  and  with  the  Arminian  he  joins 
in  rejecting  the  doctrine  of  reprobation  as  absurd  and  im- 
pious ;  admits  that  Christ,  in  a  certain  sense,  died  for  all, 
and  supposes  that  such  a  portion  of  grace  is  allotted  to 
every  man  as  renders  it  his  own  fault  if  he  does  not  at- 
tain eternal  life. 

Among  Baxterians  are  ranked  both  Watts  and  Dod- 
dridge.  Dr.  Doddridge,  indeed,  has  this  striking  re- 
mark :  "  That  a  being  who  is  said  not  to  tempt  any  one, 
and  even  swears  that  he  desires  not  the  death  of  a  sinner, 
should  irresistibly  determine  millions  to  the  commission  of 
every  sinful  action  of  their  lives,  and  then  with  all  the 
pomp  and  pageantry  of  an  universal  judgment  condemn 
them  to  eternal  misery,  on  account  of  these  actions,  that 
he  may  promote  the  happiness  of  others  who  are,  or  shall 
be  irresistibly  determined  to  virtue,  in  the  like  manner,  is 
of  all  incredible  things  to  me  the  most  incredible  !" 

Baxter,  who  was  born  in  Shropshire,  England,  in  1615, 
was  an  extraordinary  character  in  the  religious  world. 
He  wrote  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  books,  and  had 
above  sixty  written  against  him.  His  "  Saint's  Rest"  is 
a  work  with  which  every  intelligent  Christian,  of  what- 
ever denomination  he  may  be,  should  be  familiar.  Though 
he  possessed  a  metaphysical  genius,  and  consequently 
sometimes  made  a  distinction  without  a  difference,  yet  the 
great  object  of  most  of  his  productions  was  peace  and 
amity.  Accordingly  his  system  was  formed,  not  to  in- 
flame the  passions  and  widen  the  breaches,  but  to  heal 
the  wounds  of  the  Christian  church,  under  which  she 
had  long  languished. 

As  a  proof  of  this  assertion,  we  take  the  following  affecting 
declaration  from  the  narrative  of  his  own  Life  and  Times  : 
"I  am  deeplier  afflicted  at  the  disagreements  of  Chris- 
tians, than  when  I  was  a  young  Christian;  except  the 
case  of  the  infidel  world,  nothing  is  so  sad  and  grievous  to 
my  thoughts  as  the  case  of  the  divided  churches !  And 


108  HISTORY    OF   ALL   KELIGIONS. 

therefore,  I  am  the  more  deeply  sensible  of  the  sinfulness 
of  those  who  are  the  principal  cause  of  these  divisions. 
Oh,  how  many  millions  of  souls  are  kept  by  their  igno- 
rance and  ungodliness,  and  deluded  by  faction,  as  if  it  were 
true  religion !  How  is  the  conversion  of  infidels  hindered, 
Christ  and  religion  heinously  dishonored !  The  conten- 
tions between  the  Greek  church  and  the  Roman,  the  Pa- 
pists and  the  Protestants,  the  Lutherans  and  the  Calvinists, 
have  woefully  hindered  the  kingdom  of  Christ !" 

THE  SECEDEES  OR  ASSOCIATE  EEFOEMED. 

THE  history  of  this  sect,  which  is  a  prominent  branch 
of  the  great  Presbyterian  family,  illustrates  forcibly  the 
effects  which  result  from  that  prodigious  spirit  of  contro- 
versy and  contention  which  has  often  characterized  the 
Scotch  churches.  This  sect  arose  in  1733,  and  was  oc- 
casioned by  the  delivery  of  a  sermon  by  the  Kev.  Ebenezer 
Erskine,  at  the  opening  of  the  Synod  of  Perth  and  Stir- 
ling, in  Scotland,  in  which  he  condemned  the  then  recent 
laws  passed  by  General  Assembly  in  reference  to  the  set- 
tlement of  ministers.  He  was  afterward  arraigned  for 
trial,  was  censured,  refused  to  submit  to  the  censure,  and 
then  seceded  from  the  Presbyterian  or  Established  church. 
He,  with  half  a  dozen  other  ministers,  formed  themselves 
into  a  new  and  distinct  body,  which  they  called  the  "As- 
sociate Presbytery."  They  also  published  a  document,  in 
which  they  set  forth  their  views  and  their  motives  for 
making  the  secession,  which  they  called  their  Testimony. 

A  few  years  elapsed,  and  in  1746  a  controversy  arose 
among  them  in  regard  to  the  "Burgher's  Oath,"  some  of 
them  contending  that  the  taking  of  this  oath  was  wrong, 
the  others  maintaining  that  it  was  right.  They  split  into 
two  parties  eventually,  who  were  known  by  the  names  of 
the  Burghers  and  the  anti-Burghers,  each  claiming  to  be 
the  true  Secession  church.  In  1796  the  Burgher  party 
again  divided  and  underwent  a  sub-split,  in  consequence 
of  a  dispute  among  them  in  reference  to  the  powers  of  the 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.    VCO%        109 

civil  magistrate.  One  party  was  called  the 
Burghers,"  and  the  other  the  "  New  Lights."  In  11 
anti-Burghers  were  also  agitated  and  eventually  divide? 
by  a  dispute  on  the  same  subject,  and  the  two  parties  into 
which  they  formed  themselves  were  called  the  "  Old"  and 
"New  Light"  anti-Burghers.  Subsequently  the  fever  for 
schisms  subsided,  and  a  contrary  tendency  took  place 
among  these  people.  The  New  Light  Burghers  and  the 
anti-Burghers  united  in  one  body ;  and  it  is  a  curious  cir- 
cumstance that  this  union  took  place  in'  the  very  same 
building  in  Edinburgh  in  which  seventy  years  before  the 
original  separation  had  occurred.  In  1837,  the  Old 
Light  Burghers  returned  to  the  Established  Church  of 
Scotland.  Such  repeated  divisions  and  subdivisions  pre- 
sent no  very  favorable  illustration  of  Christian  unity  and 
forbearance. 

In  1751,  the  anti-Burgher  Synod  of  Scotland  deter- 
mined to  send  several  ministers  of  their  sect  to  the  United 
States,  to  supply  the  wants  of  a  few  members  who  had 
emigrated  to  this  country.  Several  preachers  were  ap- 
pointed, who  eventually  refused  to  obey  the  injunction. 
The  Synod  then,  in  1752,  indignantly  passed  a  resolution 
to  the  effect  that,  should  any  minister  or  licentiate  there- 
after refuse  to  remove  to  the  American  colonies  after  they 
had  been  appointed  by  the  Synod  so  to  do,  they  should 
be  expelled  from  the  clerical  office.  This  was  an  act  of 
ecclesiastical  tyranny  which  was  a  disgrace  to  the  Chris- 
tian name ;  for  unless  the  Synod  professed  to  act  in  the 
choice  made  directly  under  Divine  inspiration,  there  could 
be  no  certainty  that  their  resolution  was  infallible  and  al- 
ways demanding  unqualified  obedience. 

Accordingly,  in  1752,  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Gellatly  and 
Arnot  were  appointed  to  this  mission,  and  they  soon  after 
reached  this  country.  The  latter,  however,  was  not  sent 
out  to  remain  permanently,  but  to  make  a  tour  of  obser 
vation  in  regard  to  the  state  of  the  sect  in  this  country, 
and  then  return  to  Scotland.  In  the  next  year  Rev. 
James  Proudfit  came  over.  In  1770,  there  were  about 


110  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

ten  ministers  of  this  denomination  in  this  country,  whc 
constituted  what  they  termed  the  Associate  Presbytery  of 
Pennsylvania.  From  this  date  the  churches  and  members 
of  the  Associate  Reformed  sect  continued  steadily  to  in- 
crease in  the  Middle  States. 

After  the  American  Revolution,  the  scattered  churches 
of  this  sect  made  an  eifort  to  consolidate  themselves  under 
an  ecclesiastical  government.  In  1782,  their  ministers 
accordingly  associated  together,  and  took  the  title  of  the 
"Associate  Reformed  Synod  of  North  America,"  and 
adopted  a  set  of  articles  containing  their  doctrinal  opin- 
ions. These  were  chiefly  as  follows:  That  Christ  died 
only  for  the  elect ;  that  the  gospel  is  addressed  indiscrimi- 
nately to  all  mankind ;  that  the  righteousness  of  Christ  is 
the  only  ground  of  salvation ;  that  civil  government  origi- 
nates with  God  the  Creator,  and  not  with  Christ  the  Me- 
diator ;  that  the  administration  of  providence  is  given  into 
the  hand  of  Christ,  and  that  the  civil  magistrates  are  ap- 
pointed to  execute  the  purposes  of  God's  government  and 
providence,  and  to  promote  the  welfare  of  his  spiritual 
kingdom ;  that  the  law  of  nature  and  the  moral  law  taught 
in  the  Scriptures  are  the  same,  though  the  latter  expresses 
the  will  of  God  more  fully  and  clearly ;  and  that  therefore 
all  magistrates  should  be  governed  by  the  teachings  of 
Scripture  in  the  performance  of  their  functions ;  that  no 
religious  test,  further  than  an  oath  of  fidelity,  should  be 
required  of  the  civil  magistrate,  except  where  the  people 
make  a  religious  test  a  condition  of  government ;  that  the 
Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  the  Catechisms  and 
Directory  of  Worship,  shall  be  the  future  standards  of  the 
Church ;  that  the  American  churches  shall  be  independent 
of  the  Scotch  Ecclesiastical  Courts.  The  peculiar  tone 
of 'these  articles,  which  gave  such  prominence  to  the  duties 
and  relations  of  the  civU  magistrate,  arose  from  the  nature 
of  the  endless  quarrels  and  squabbles  which  at  that  time 
agitated  the  members  of  the  sect  in  this  country,  and 
which  received  an  undue  importance  in  the  minds  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  Ill 

churches,  in  consequence  of  the  controversies  of  which 
they  were  the  everlasting  theme. 

In  the  history  of  all  the  American  sects,  a  prominent 
event  in  their  career  is  the  establishment  of  a  theological 
seminary,  which  should  serve  as  a  nursery  for  the  prepa- 
ration of  the  young  men  of  the  Church  for  the  ministry. 
This  remark  applies  to  the  Seceder  denomination  which 
we  are  now  describing.  In  1802,  the  leading  preachers 
of  the  sect  resolved  to  establish  such  an  institution ;  and 
Dr.  John  M.  Mason,  the  most  eminent  man  among  them, 
was  appointed  to  visit  England  and  Scotland,  and  solicit 
funds  for  the  purpose.  He  did  so,  and  obtained  about  six 
thousand  dollars,  which  were  chiefly  appropriated  to  the 
purchase  of  a  library.  In  1804,  the  plan  of  the  seminary 
was  completed,  and  Dr.  Mason  was  elected  Professor  of 
Theology.  The  institution  was  located  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  and  we  believe  it  was  the  first  theological  seminary 
ever  established  in  this  country.  Under  the  direction  of 
Dr.  Mason  it  attained  considerable  success ;  but  its  pros- 
perity was  greatly  inspired  by  subsequent  events. 

In  1822,  a  proposition  was  made  by  certain  members  of 
the  Secession  Church,  and  of  the  Dutch  Keformed  Church, 
that  an  union  between  the  two  sects  should  be  effected. 
After  some  discussion  on  both  sides  the  plan  was  aban- 
doned, and  another  substituted  in  its  place.  This  was  an 
union  between  the  Seceders  and  the  Presbyterians.  Reso- 
lutions favorable  to  the  union  were  passed,  both  by  the 
General  Synod  of  the  former,  and  by  the  General  Assem- 
bly of  the  latter.  The  Seceders,  as  a  denomination,  were 
opposed  to  the  union ;  but  the  library  of  the  seminary  in 
New  York  was  immediately  removed  to  Princeton,  appa- 
rently to  prevent  the  possibility  of  losing  so  valuable  an 
acquisition.  The  Seceder  Synod  of  New  York  refused  to 
acquiesce  in  the  union,  and  demanded  the  return  of  the 
books.  This  demand  was  refused  ;  but  the  decision  of  the 
Courts  afterwards  restored  the  plundered  property  to  its 
rightful  owner.  Subsequently  this  seminary  was  re-estab- 
lished at  Newburgh,  in  New  York,  and  Dr.  Joseph  Me  Car- 


112          HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

roll  was  appointed  professor.  This  sect  have  another 
theological  seminary  at  Allegheny  city,  in  this  State,  of 
which  Dr  J.  T.  Pressley  is  the  chief  professor  ;  and  an- 
other at  Oxford,  Ohio,  presided  over  by  Rev.  Joseph 
Claybaugh,  D.  D. 

The  Associate  Reformed  Church  at  present  exists  in 
many  of  the  middle  and  western  States.  They  have  about 
two  hundred  and  fifty  ministers,  three  hundred  congrega- 
tions, and  about  thirty  thousand  members.  They  are  re- 
garded as  the  most  rigid  and  extreme  of  all  the  Calvin- 
istic  sects ;  their  form  of  worship  is  very  simple ;  and  they 
condemn  the  use  of  any  hymns  but  David's  psalms  in  the 
public  singing  of  the  church.  They  oppose  instrumental 
music,  and  even  choirs ;  the  singing  being  always  led  by 
a  precentor  or  clerk. 

ABELIANS,  OR  ABELITES,  a  temporary  sect  of 
Hippo,  mentioned  only  by  Augustine.  They  regula- 
ted marriage  after  the  example  of  Abel,  who,  as  they 
believed,  married,  but  lived  in  continence.  Their  en- 
deavor to  perpetuate  the  sect  by  adopting  the  children 
of  others  failed,  and  they  died  out. 

ABYSSINIAN  CHURCH  is  a  mixture  of  Judaism, 
Christianity,  and  Paganism.  The  Abyssinians  claim 
to  be  of  Jewish  extraction,  circumcise  both  male  and 
female,  observe  both  the  first  and  seventh  days  as  holy, 
regard  the  laws  of  Moses,  and  imitate  the  service  of 
the  temple.  They  believe  that  Christ  came  in  two- 
fold nature — human  and  divine — compound,  yet  dis- 
tinct. They  also  worship  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  in- 
voke saints  and  angels.  They  believe  in  penance,  con- 
fession, and  absolution  of  sins. 

FREE  COMMUNION  BAPTISTS. 

THE  Free  Communion  Baptists  are  a  small  sect  in  this 
country,  whose  distinctive  feature  is,  that  they  are  willing 
to  allow  Christians  of  all  denominations  to  partake  with 
them  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  while  the  other  Baptist  de- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.          118 

nominations  are  all  in  favor  of  "  close  communion."  A 
few  churches  of  this  persuasion  existed  in  England,  and 
the  celebrated  Robert  Hall  believed  in  free  communion. 
He  wrote  a  tract  in  defence  of  his  opinion,  in  which  he 
says :  "It  is  too  much  to  expect  an  enlightened  public 
will  be  eager  to  enrol  themselves  among  the  members  of  a 
sect  which  display  much  of  the  intolerance  of  Popery  with- 
out any  portion  of  its  splendor,  and  prescribes  as  the 
pledge  of  conversion,  the  renunciation  of  the  whole  Chris- 
tian world."  Elsewhere  he  remarks  :  "I  would  not  my- 
self baptize  in  any  other  way  than  by  immersion,  as  the 
ancient  mode,  because  it  best  represents  the  meaning  of 
the  original  term  employed,  and  the  substantial  import  of 
this  institution  ;  and  because  I  should  think  it  right  to 
guard  against  the  spirit  of  innovation,  which,  in  positive 
rites,  is  always  dangerous  and  progressive ;  but  I  should 
not  think  myself  authorized  to  baptize  any  one  who  had 
been  sprinkled  in  adult  age."  The  testimony  of  Robert 
Hall,  in  favor  of  free  communion,  did  not,  however,  ac- 
complish much  for  the  dissemination  of  his  views  in  Eng- 
land and  the  sect  never  attained  a  regular  and  distinct 
organization  there. 

The  Free  Communion  Baptists  exist  chiefly  in  this 
country.  About  the  year  1800  the  first  church  of  this 
faith  was  established  in  Herkimer  county,  New  York,  by 
a  certain  Elder  Corp,  who  remained  its  pastor  till  his 
death,  in  1838.  Other  congregations  were  gradually 
gathered  in  different  portions  of  New  York  and  Pennsyl- 
vania, by  various  preachers,  prominent  among  whom  were 
John  Farley,  Nath.  Dickerson,  Easter  brook,  Hunt,  Row- 
land, and  Dodge.  The  growth  of  this  sect  has,  however, 
never  been  very  rapid  or  extensive.  They  now  have  about 
fifty  preachers,  sixty  churches,  and  three  thousand  com- 
municants. Their  church  government  is  strictly  congrega- 
tional, although  they  have  a  General  Conference,  Yearly 
Conferences,  and  Quarterly  Meetings,  whose  duties  and 
powers  are  only  advisory,  without  any  power  to  alter  or 
revoke  the  decisions  of  the  churches.  They  believe  in  the 
8 


314  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

Trinity  and  in  the  Atonement,  and  originally  they  held  to 
the  doctrine  of  absolute  decrees  and  the  perseverance  of 
the  saints,  though  they  have  in  later  times  practically 
abandoned  these  views.  The  public  washing  of  the  feet 
of  the  members  in  meeting  was  one  of  the  most  prominent 
and  important  usages  in  this  sect ;  though  more  recently, 
inasmuch  as  this  observance  gave  rise  to  much  ridicule 
and  opposition,  they  virtually  abandoned  it,  in  accordance 
with  a  resolution,  adopted  by  their  General  Conference  in 
1831,  which  provided  that "  all  persons  in  connection  with 
us  shall  have  a  free  and  lawful  right  to  wash  their  feet  or 
not,  as  they  may  best  answer  their  conscience  to  God." 
No  denomination  surpasses  this  sect  in  earnestness  of 
purpose  and  active  benevolent  labor  in  the  cause  of 
Christianity. 

FREE  WILL  BAPTISTS. 

ANOTHER  minor  denomination  of  Baptists  are  known 
by  this  title,  which  designates  their  most  prominent  charac- 
teristic. They  believe  in  the  freedom  of  the  human  will,  in 
opposition  to  the  Calvinistic  theory,  which  is  entertained 
by  all  the  other  Baptist  communities.  This  sect  was  com- 
menced in  1780,  in  New  Hampshire,  by  a  Baptist  preacher 
named  Benjamin  Randall,  who  had  been  converted  by 
George  Whitefield.  Randall  imitated  Whitefield  in  his 
endeavors  to  promote  revivals,  and  he  made  a  number  of 
journeys,  during  the  progress  of  which  he  preached  with 
great  success.  He  founded  a  large  number  of  churches, 
and  spread  the  new  sect  through  Maine,  New  Hampshire, 
Vermont,  Rhode  Island,  and  Massachusetts.  He  died  in 
1808.  The  sect  is  governed  by  a  General  Conference, 
which  was  organized  in  1827.  They  have  also  Yearly  and 
Quarterly  meetings,  subordinate  to  the  first.  Their 
preachers  are  rarely  men  of  much  education,  though  they 
are  very  earnest  and  zealous.  They  have  about  twelve 
hundred  churches,  one  thousand  preachers,  and  sixty 


HISTORY   OF   ALL  RELIGIONS.  115 

thousand  communicants.  They  have  a  theological  institu- 
tion at  Whitestown,  New  York,  beside  several  academies 
in  different  parts  of  the  country.  They  take  considerable 
interest  in  foreign  missions,  and  have  three  stations  in 
Orissa,  a  province  in  Hindostan.  They  are  numbered 
among  the  orthodox  sects,  believing  in  the  Trinity,  totil 
depravity  of  man  by  nature,  the  vicarious  atonement,  &c. 
Their  church  government,  like  that  of  all  the  sects  which 
bear  the  Baptist  name,  is  congregational  or  independent. 
They  have  a  printing  establishment  at  Dover,  New  Hamp- 
shire, which  publishes  religious  books,  and  they  issue 
several  newspapers  and  magazines,  which  are  devoted  to 
the  propagation  and  defence  of  their  peculiar  doctrine. 
A  prominent  feature  of  the  sect  is  their  violent  condemna- 
tion of  negro  slavery,  and  their  great  zeal  in  the  use  of 
those  contrivances  and  measures  which  tend  to  promote 
and  carry  on  popular  revivals  and  religious  excitements. 

WHIPPERS. 

THIS  denomination  originated  in  Italy,  in  the  thirteenth 
century,  and  was  thence  propagated  through  almost  all 
the  countries  in  Europe.  The  society  that  embraced  this 
new  discipline,  ran  in  multitudes,  composed  of  persons  of 
both  sexes,  and  all  ranks  and  ages,  through  the  public 
streets,  with  whips  in  their  hands,  lashing  their  naked 
bodies  with  the  most  astonishing  severity,  with  a  view  to 
obtain  the  divine  mercy  for  themselves  and  others,  by  their 
voluntary  mortification  and  penance.  This  sect  made  their 
appearance  anew  in  the  fourteenth  century,  and  taught, 
among  other  things,  that  flagellation  was  of  equal  virtue 
with  baptism  and  other  sacraments ;  that  the  forgiveness 
of  all  sins  was  to  be  obtained  by  it  from  God,  without  the 
merit  of  Jesus  Christ ;  that  the  old  law  of  Christ  was  soon 
to  be  abolished,  and  that  a  new  law,  enjoining  the  baptism 
of  blood  to  be  administered  by  whipping,  was  to  be  substi- 
tuted in  its  place. 

A  new  denomination  of  Whippers  arose  in  the  fifteenth 


116  HISTORY    OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

century,  who  rejected  the  sacraments  and  every  branch  of 
external  worship,  and  placed  their  only  hopes  of  salvation 
in  faith  and  flagellation. 

MILLENARIANS. 

THE  Millenarians  are  those  who  believe  that  Christ  will 
reign  personally  on  earth  for  a  thousand  years  ;  and  their 
name,  taken  from  the  Latin,  mille,  a  thousand,  has  a  di- 
rect allusion  to  the  duration  of  this  spiritual  empire.  The 
doctrine  of  the  Millennium,  or  a  future  paradisaical  state 
of  the  earth,  is  not  of  Christian,  but  of  Jewish  origin.  The 
tradition  is  attributed  to  Elijah,  which  fixes  the  duration 
of  the  world  in  its  present  imperfect  condition  to  six  thou- 
sand years,  and  announces  the  approach  of  a  sabbath  of 
a  thousand  years  of  universal  peace  and  plenty,  to  be 
ushered  in  by  the  glorious  advent  of  the  Messiah.  This 
idea  may  be  observed  in  the  epistle  of  Barnabas,  and  in  the 
opinions  of  Papias,  who  knew  of  no  written  testimony  in 
its  behalf.  It  was  adopted  by  the  author  of  the  Revela- 
tions, by  Justin  Martyr,  by  Irenseus,  and  by  a  long  suc- 
cession of  the  Fathers.  As  the  theory  is  animating  and  con- 
solatory, and  when  divested  of  cabalistic  numbers  and 
allegorical  decorations,  probable  even  in  the  eye  of  Phi- 
losophy, it  will,  no  doubt,  always  retain  a  number  of  adhe- 
rents. 

But  as  the  Millennium  has  during  some  years  past 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  public,  we  shall  enter  into  a 
short  detail  respecting  it : 

Mr.  Joseph  Mede,  Dr.  Gill,  Bishop  Newton,  and  Mr. 
Winchester,  contend  for  the  personal  reign  of  Christ  on 
earth.  To  use  that  prelate's  own  words,  in  his  Disserta- 
tions on  the  Prophecies: — "  When  these  great  events  shall 
come  to  pass,  of  which  we  collect  from  the  prophecies, 
this  is  to  be  the  proper  order : — the  Protestant  witnesses 
shall  be  greatly  exalted,  and  the  1260  years  of  their  pro- 
phesying in  sackcloth,  and  of  the  tyranny  of  the  beast, 
shall  end  together ;  the  conversion  and  restoration  of  the 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  117 

Jews  succeed ;  then  follows  the  ruin  of  the  Othman  Em- 
pire ;  and  then  the  total  destruction  of  Rome  and  Anti- 
christ. When  these  great  events,  I  say,  shall  come  to 
pass,  then  shall  the  kingdom  of  Christ  commence,  or  the 
reign  of  the  saints  upon  earth.  So  Daniel  expressly  informs 
us.  that  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  the  saints  will  be  raised 
upon  the  ruins  of  the  kingdom  of  Antichrist,  vii.  26,  27  : — 
4  But  the  judgment  shall  sit,  and  they  shall  take  away  his 
dominion,  to  consume  and  destroy  it  unto  the  end  :  and  the 
kingdom  and  dominion,  and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom 
under  the  whole  heaven,  shall  he  given  to  the  saints  of 
the  Most  High,  whose  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom, 
and  all  dominions  shall  serve  and  obey  him.'  So,  likewise, 
St.  John  saith,  that,  upon  the  final  destruction  of  the  beast 
and  the  false  prophet,  Rev.  xx.,  Satan  is  bound  for  a  thou- 
sand years  ;  i  and  I  saw  thrones  and  they  sat  on  them,  and 
judgment  was  given  unto  them  ;  and  I  saw  the  souls  of 
them  that  were  beheaded  for  the  witness  of  Jesus  Christ 
and  for  the  word  of  God ;  which  had  not  worshipped  the 
beast,  neither  his  image ;  neither  had  received  his  mark 
upon  their  foreheads  or  in  his  hands ;  and  they  lived  and 
reigned  with  Christ  a  thousand  years.  But  the  rest  of  the 
dead  lived  not  again  till  the  thousand  years  were  finished. 
This  is  the  first  resurrection.'  It  is,  I  conceive,  to  these 
great  events,  the  fall  of  Antichrist,  the  re-establishment  of 
the  Jews,  and  the  beginning  of  the  glorious  Millennium, 
that  the  three  different  dates,  in  Daniel,  of  1,260  years, 
1,290  years,  and  1,335  years,  are  to  be  referred.  And  as 
Daniel  saith,  xii.  12 : — '  Blessed  is  he  that  waiteth  and 
cometh  to  the  thousand  three  hundred  five  and  thirty  days.' 
So  St.  John  saith,  Rev.  xx.  6  : — 4  Blessed  and  holy  is  he 
that  hath  part  in  the  first  resurrection.'  Blessed  and  hap- 
py indeed  will  be  this  period ;  and  it  is  very  observable, 
that  the  martyrs  and  confessors  of  Jesus,  in  Papist  as  well 
as  Pagan  times,  will  be  raised  to  partake  of  this  felicity. 
Then  shall  all  those  gracious  promises  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment be  fulfilled — of  the  amplitude  and  extent,  of  the 
peace  and  prosperity,  of  the  glory  and  happiness  of  the 


118  HISTORY   OF   .ALL   RELIGIONS. 

church  in  the  latter  days.  Then,  in  the  full  sense  of  the 
words,  Rev.  xi.  15 : — shall  the  *  kingdoms  of  this  world 
become  t Tie  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ ;  and 
he  shall  reign  for  ever  and  ever.'  According  to  tradition, 
these  thousand  years  of  the  reign  of  Christ  and  the  saints, 
will  be  the  seventh  Millenary  of  the  world:  for  as  God 
created  the  world  in  six  days,  and  rested  on  the  seventh ; 
so  the  world,  it  is  argued,  will  continue  six  thousand  years, 
and  the  seventh  thousand  years  will  be  the  great  Sab- 
batism,  or  holy  rest  to  the  people  of  God.  '  One  day 
(2  Peter  iii.  8)  is  with  the  Lord  as  a  thousand  years,  and  a 
thousand  years  as  one  day.'  According  to  tradition,  too, 
these  thousand  years  of  the  reign  of  Christ  and  the  saints, 
are  the  great  day  of  judgment,  in  the  morning  or  beginning 
whereof,  shall  be  the  coming  of  Christ  in  flaming  fire,  and 
the  particular  judgment  of  Antichrist  and  the  first  resur- 
rection ;  and  in  the  evening  or  conclusion  whereof,  shall  be 
the  Greneral  Resurrection  of  the  dead,  small  and  great ;  and 
they  shall  be  judged,  every  man  according  to  their  works." 

This  is  a  just  representation  of  the  Millennium,  accord- 
ing to  the  common  opinion  entertained  of  it,  that  Christ 
will  reign  personally  on  earth  during  the  period  of  one 
thousand  years.  But  Dr.  Whitby,  in  a  Dissertation  on  the 
subject ;  Dr.  Priestley  in  his  Institutes  of  Religion  ;  and 
the  author  of  the  Illustration  of  Prophecy,  contend  against 
the  literal  interpretation  of  the  Millennium,  both  as  to  its 
nature  and  duration.  On  such  a  topic,  however,  we  can- 
not suggest  our  opinions  with  too  great  a  degree  of  modesty. 

Dr.  Priestley,  entertaining  an  exalted  idea  of  the  advan- 
tages to  which  our  nature  may  be  destined,  treats  the 
limitation  of  the  duration  of  the  world  to  seven  thousand 
years  as  a  Rabbinical  fable ;  and  intimates  that  the  thou- 
sand years  may  be  interpreted  prophetically :  then  every 
day  would  signify  a  year,  and  the  Millennium  would  last 
for  three  hundred  and  sixty-five  thousand  years.  Again 
he  supposes  that  there  will  be  no  resurrection  of  aiy  indi- 
viduals till  the  general  resurrection  ;  and  that  the  Millen- 
nium implies  only  the  revival  of  rational  religion. 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  119 


HUMANITARIANS. 

THIS  term  has  been  applied  to  those  who  deny  the  di- 
vinity of  Christ,  and  assert  him  to  have  been  a  mere  man. 
This,  however,  is  more  than  the  word  properly  signifies, 
and  the  term  Psilanthropist,  or  Humanitarian,  has  been 
suggested  as  conveying  the  idea  more  accurately. 

One  of  the  ablest  of  modern  Humanitarians  is  the  Rev. 
Theodore  Parker,  minister  of  a  Unitarian  church  in  Bos- 
ton, Mass.  The  following  extracts  from  one  of  his  dis- 
courses will  convey  some  idea  of  his  views  : 

"  Alas !  what  men  call  Christianity,  and  adore  as  the  best 
thing  they  see,  has  been  degraded  ;  so  that  if  men  should 
be  all  that  the  pulpit  commonly  demands  of  them,  they 
would  by  no  means  be  Christians.  To  such  a  pass  have 
matters  reached,  that  if  Paul  should  come  upon  the  earth 
now,  as  of  old,  it  is  quite  doubtful  that  he  could  be  ad- 
mitted to  the  Christian  church  ;  for  though  Felix  thought 
much  knowledge  had  made  the  Apostle  mad,  yet  Paul 
ventured  no  opinion  on  points  respecting  the  nature  of 
God  and  the  history  of  Christ,  where  our  pulpits  utter 
dogmatic  and  arbitrary  decisions,  condemning  as  infidels 
and  accursed  all  such  as  disagree  therewith,  be  their  life 
never  so  godly.  These  things  are  notorious.  Still  more, 
it  may  be  set  down  as  quite  certain,  that  if  Jesus  could 
return  from  the  other  world,  and  bring  to  New  England 
that  same  boldness  of  inquiry  which  he  brought  to  Judea ; 
that  same  love  of  living  truth,  and  scorn  of  dead  letters  ; 
could  he  speak  as  he  then  spoke,  and  live  again  as  he 
lived  before,  he  also  would  be  called  an  infidel  by  the 
church ;  be  abused  in  our  newspapers,  for  such  is  our 
wont,  and  only  not  stoned  in  the  streets,  because  that  is 
not  our  way  of  treating  such  men  as  tell  us  the  truth. 

"  Such  is  the  Christianity  of  the  church  in  our  times. 
It  does  not  look  forward  but  backward.  It  does  not  ask 
truth  at  first  hand  from  God  ;  seeks  not  to  lead  men  di- 
rectly to  him,  through  the  divine  life,  but  only  to  make 


120  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

them  walk  in  the  old  paths  trodden  by  some  good,  pious 
Jews,  who,  were  they  to  come  back  to  earth,  could  as 
little  understand  our  circumstances  as  we  theirs.  The 
church  expresses  more  concern  that  men  should  walk  in 
these  peculiar  paths,  than  that  they  should  reach  the  goal. 
Thus  the  means  are  made  the  end.  It  enslaves  men  to 
the  Bible ;  makes  it  the  soul's  master,  not  its  servant ; 
forgetting  that  the  Bible,  like  the  Sabbath,  was  made 
for  man,  not  man  for  the  Bible.  It  makes  man  the  less 
and  the  Bible  the  greater.  The  Saviour  said,  Search  the 
Scriptures ;  the  Apostle  recommended  them  as  profitable 
reading ;  the  church  says,  Believe  the  Scriptures,  if  not 
with  the  consent  of  reason  and  conscience,  why  without 
that  consent  or  against  it.  It  rejects  all  attempts  to  hu- 
manize the  Bible,  and  separate  its  fictions  from  its  facts; 
and  would  fain  wash  its  hands  in  the  heart's  blood  of 
those  who  strip  the  robe  of  human  art,  ignorance,  or  folly, 
from  the  celestial  form  of  divine  truth.  It  trusts  the  im- 
perfect Scripture  of  the  Word,  more  than  the  Word  it- 
self, writ  by  God's  finger  on  the  living  heart. 

"  The  church  itself  worships  not  God,  who  is  all  in 
all,  but  Jesus,  a  man  born  of  woman.  Grave  teachers, 
in  defiance  of  his  injunction,  bid  us  pray  to  Christ.  It 
supposes  the  soul  of  our  souls  cannot  hear,  or  will  not 
accept  a  prayer,  unless  offered  formally,  in  the  church's 
phrase,  forgetting  that  we  also  are  men,  and  God  takes 
care  of  oxen  and  sparrows,  and  hears  the  young  ravens 
when  they  cry,  though  they  pray  not  in  any  form  or 
phrase.  Still,  called  by  whatever  name,  called  by  an 
idol's  name,  the  true  God  hears  the  living  prayer.  And 
yet  perhaps  the  best  feature  of  Christianity,  as  it  is  now 
preached,  is  its  idolatrous  worship  of  Christ.  Jesus  was 
the  brother  of  all.  He  had  more  in  common  with  all 
men,  than  they  have  with  one  another.  But  he,  the 
brother  of  all,  has  been  made  to  appear  as  the  master  of 
all ;  to  speak  with  an  authority  greater  than  that  of  Rea- 
son, Conscience,  and  Faith ; — an  office  his  sublime  and 
Godlike  spirit  would  revolt  at.  But  yet,  since  he  lived 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  121 

divine  on  the  earth,  and  was  a  hero  of  the  soul,  and  the 
noblest  and  largest  hero  the  world  has  ever  seen,  perhaps 
the  idolatry  that  is  paid  him  is  the  nearest  approach  to 
true  worship,  which  the  mass  of  men  can  readily  make 
in  these  days.  Reverence  for  heroes  has  its  place  in  his- 
tory; and  though  worship  of  the  greatest  soul  ever 
swathed  in  the  flesh,  however  much  he  is  idolized  and 
represented  as  incapable  of  sin,  is  without  measure  be- 
low the  worship  of  the  ineffable  God ;  still  it  is  the  purest 
and  best  of  our  many  idolatries  of  the  nineteenth  century. 
Practically  speaking,  its  worst  feature  is,  that  it  mars  and 
destroys  the  highest  ideal  of  man,  and  makes  us  beings  of 
very  small  discourse,  that  look  only  backward. 

"  The  influence  of  real  Christianity  is  to  disenthral  the 
man  ;  to  restore  him  to  his  nature,  until  he  obeys  Con- 
science, Reason,  and  Religion,  and  is  made  free  by  that 
obedience.  It  gives  him  the  largest  liberty  of  the  Sons 
of  God,  so  that  as  faith  in  truth  becomes  deeper,  the  man 
is  greater  and  more  divine.  But  now  those  pious  souls 
who  accept  the  church's  Christianity  are,  in  the  main, 
crushed  and  degraded  by  their  faith.  They  dwindle  daily 
in  the  church's  keeping.  Their  worship  is  not  Faith,  but 
Fear ;  and  Bondage  is  written  legibly  on  their  forehead, 
like  the  mark  set  upon  Cain.  They  resemble  the  dwarfed 
creed  they  accept.  Their  mind  is  encrusted  with  unin- 
telligible dogmas.  They  fear  to  love  man,  lest  they  offend 
God.  Artificial  in  their  anxiety,  and  morbid  in  their  self- 
examination,  their  life  is  sickly  and  wretched.  Con- 
science cannot  speak  its  mother  tongue  to  them  ;  Reason 
does  not  utter  its  oracles  ;  nor  love  cast  out  fear.  Alas, 
the  church  speaks  not  to  the  hearty  and  the  strong ;  and 
the  little  and  the  weak,  who  accept  its  doctrines,  become 
weaker  and  less  thereby.  Thus  woman's  holier  heart  is 
often  abased  and  defiled,  and  the  deep-thoughted  and  true 
of  soul  forsake  the  church,  as  righteous  Lot,  guided  by 
an  angel,  fled  out  of  Sodom.  There  will  always  be 
wicked  men  who  scorn  a  pure  church,  and  perhaps  great 
men  too  high  to  need  its  instructions.  But  what  shall 


122  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

we  say  when  the  church,  as  it  is,  impoverishes  those  It 
was  designed  to  enrich,  and  debilitates  so  often  the  trust- 
ing souls  that  seek  shelter  in  its  arms  ? 

"  Alas  for  us  !  we  see  the  Christianity  of  the  church  is  a 
very  poor  thing ;  a  very  little  better  than  heathenism.  It 
takes  God  out  of  the  world  of  nature  and  of  man,  and 
hides  him  in  the  church.  Nay  it  does  worse ;  it  limits 
God,  who  possesses  heaven  and  earth,  and  is  from  ever- 
lasting to  everlasting,  restricting  his  influence  and  inspira- 
tion to  a  little  corner  of  the  world,  and  a  few  centuries  of 
history,  dark  and  uncertain.  Even  in  this  narrow  range, 
it  makes  a  deity  like  itself,  and  gives  us  not  God,  but  Je- 
hovah. It  takes  the  living  Christ  out  of  the  heart,  and 
transfigures  him  in  the  clouds ;  till  he  becomes  an  anoma- 
lous being,  not  God,  and  not  man  ;  but  a  creature  whose 
holiness  is  not  the  divine  image  he  has  sculptured  for  him- 
self out  of  the  rock  of  life,  but  something  placed  over  him 
entirely  by  God's  hand,  and  without  his  own  effort.  It 
has  taken  away  our  Lord,  and  left  us  a  being  whom  we 
know  not ;  severed  from  us  by  his  prodigious  birth,  and 
his  alleged  relation  to  God,  such  as  none  can  share. 
What  have  we  in  common  with  such  an  one,  raised  above 
all  chance  of  error,  all  possibility  of  sin,  and  still  more 
surrounded  by  God  at  each  moment,  as  no  other  man  has 
been  ?  It  has  transferred  him  to  the  clouds.  It  makes 
Christianity  a  Belief,  not  a  Life.  It  takes  religion  out  of 
the  world,  and  shuts  it  up  in  old  books,  whence,  from 
time  to  time,  on  Sabbaths,  and  fast  days,  and  feast  days — 
it  seeks  to  evoke  the  divine  Spirit,  as  the  witch  of  Endor 
is  fabled  to  have  called  up  Samuel  from  the  dead.  It  tells 
you,  with  grave  countenance,  to  believe  every  word  spo- 
ken by  the  Apostles — weak,  Jewish,  fallible,  prejudiced, 
mistaken  as  they  sometimes  were — for  this  reason,  be- 
cause forsooth  Peter's  shadow,  and  Paul's  pocket  hand- 
kerchief, cured  the  lame  and  the  blind.  It  never  tells  you, 
Be  faithful  to  the  spirit  God  has  given ;  open  your  souls 
and  you  also  shall  be  inspired,  beyond  Peter  and  Paul  it 
may  be,  for  great  though  they  were,  they  saw  not  all 


HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  123 

things,  and  have  not  absorbed  the  Godhead.  No  doubt  the 
Christian  church  has  been  the  ark  of  the  world.  No 
doubt  some  individual  churches  are  now  free  from  these 
disgraces  ;  still  the  picture  is  true  as  a  whole. 

"  The  Christianity  of  the  Church  is  a  very  poor  thing ; 
it  is  not  bread,  and  it  is  not  drink.  The  Christianity  of 
Society  is  still  worse ;  it  is  bitter  in  the  mouth,  and  poison 
in  the  blood.  Still  men  are  hungering  and  thirsting, 
though  not  always  knowingly,  after  the  true  bread  of  life. 
Why  shall  we  perish  with  hunger  ?  In  our  Father's  house 
is  enough  and  to  spare.  The  Christianity  of  Christ  is 
high  and  noble  as  ever.  The  religion  of  Reason,  of  the 
Soul,  the  Word  of  God,  is  still  strong  and  flame-like,  as 
when  first  it  dwelt  in  Jesus,  the  chiefest  incarnation  of 
God,  and  now  the  pattern-man.  Age  has  not  dimmed  the 
lustre  of  this  li^ht  that  lighteneth  all,  though  they  cover 
their  eyes  in  obstinate  perversity,  and  turn  away  their 
faces  from  this  great  sight.  Man  has  lost  none  of  his 
God-likeness.  He  is  still  the  child  of  God,  and  the  father 
is  near  to  us  as  to  him  who  dwelt  in  his  bosom.  Conscience 
has  not  left  us.  Faith  and  hope  still  abide ;  and  love 
never  fails.  The  Comforter  is  with  us ;  and  though  the 
man  Jesus  no  longer  blesses  the  earth,  the  ideal  Christ, 
formed  in  the  heart,  is  with  us  to  the  end  of  the  world. 
Let  us,  then,  build  on  these.  Use  good  words  when  we 
can  find  them,  in  the  church  or  out  of  it.  Learn  to  pray, 
to  pray  greatly  and  strong ;  learn  to  reverence  what  is 
highest ;  above  all  learn  to  live ;  to  make  Religion  daily 
work,  and  Christianity  our  common  life.  All  days  shall 
then  be  the  Lord's  day ;  our  homes  the  house  of  God,  and 
our  labour  the  ritual  of  Religion.  Then  we  shall  not  glory 
in  men,  for  all  things  shall  be  ours ;  we  shall  not  be  im 
poverished  by  success,  but  enriched  by  affliction.  Our 
service  shall  be  worship,  not  idolatry.  The  burthens  of 
the  Bible  shall  not  overlay  and  crush  us ;  its  wisdom  shall 
make  us  strong,  and  its  piety  enchant  us.  Paul  and  Jesus 
shall  not  be  our  masters,  but  elder  brothers,  who  open  the 
pearly  gates  of  truth,  and  cheer  us  on.  leading  us  to  the 


124  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

Tree  of  Life.  We  shall  find  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  and 
enjoy  it  now,  not  waiting  till  death  ferries  us  over  to  the 
other  world.  We  shall  then  repose  beside  the  rock  of 
ages,  smitten  by  divine  hands,  and  drink  the  pure  water 
of  life  as  it  flows  from  the  Eternal,  to  make  earth  green 
and  glad.  We  shall  serve  no  longer  a  bond-slave  to  tradi- 
tion, in  the  leprous  host  of  sin,  but  become  freemen,  by 
the  law  and  spirit  of  life.  Thus  like  Paul  we  shall  form 
the  Christ  within ;  and,  like  Jesus,  serving  and  knowing 
God  directly,  with  no  mediator  intervening,  become  one 
with  him.  Is  not  this  worth  a  man's  wish;  worth  his 
prayers ;  worth  his  work,  to  seek  the  living  Christianity ; 
the  Christianity  of  Christ  ?  Not  having  this  we  seem  but 
bubbles, — bubbles  on  an  ocean,  shoreless  and  without  bot- 
tom ;  bubbles  that  sparkle  a  moment  in  the  sun  of  life, 
then  burst  to  be  no  more.  But  with  it  we  are  men,  im- 
mortal souls,  heirs  of  God  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ." 

THE  PEOTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH. 

THE  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  had  its  origin  in 
England,  in  the  sixteenth  century,  where  it  is  called 
the  Church  of  England.  In  her  rites  and  ceremonies 
she  copies  those  of  the  mother  church  in  England  — 
making  such  variations  as  necessarily  arise  from  a 
different  form  of  civil  government  under  which  its 
members  live. 

The  first  Episcopalians  who  ever  existed  in  the 
United  States  were  members  of  the  colony  of  Virginia, 
and  the  first  church  of  this  sect  in  this  country  was 
built  at  Jamestown,  in  that  colony,  in  1607.  The 
rector's  name  was  Hurst.  In  1610,  he  was  succeeded 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Buck.  Several  years  afterward,  other 
parishes  were  established  in  the  vicinity  of  James- 
town, and  other  English  clergymen  came  over  to  sup- 
ply their  spiritual  wants.  After  the  lapse  of  a  cen- 
tury, about  the  year  1720,  there  were  more  than  fifty 
Episcopal  churches  in  Virginia.  At  the  era  of  the 
Revolution  these  had  increased  to  the  number  of  a 


REV.  WILLIAM  WHITE,  D.D.,  BISHOP  OP  PROTESTANT 
EPISCOPAL  CHURCH,  PHILADELPHIA. 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  125 

hundred  in  Virginia  alone.  During  the  Revolution 
many  of  the  churches  fell  into  decay,  and  were  aban- 
doned, so  that  at  the  present  time  their  number  does 
not  much  exceed  those  which  then  existed. 

The  first  English  Episcopal  Church  in  Pennsylva- 
nia was  built  in  Philadelphia  about  the  year  1685. 

After  the  Revolution,  there  were  but  six  Episcopal 
clergymen  and  fifteen  parishes  in  Pennsylvania.  The 
successive  bishops  who  have  exercised  the  functions 
of  the  Episcopate  in  this  State  have  been  as  follows : 
Dr.  "William  White,  who  was  consecrated  on  the  4th 
of  February,  1787,  and  died  in  1836 ;  Dr.  H.  U.  On- 
derdonk,  who  was  consecrated  Assistant  Bishop  on 
the  25th  of  October,  1827,  was  superseded  on  the  21st 
of  October,  1844,  and  died  in  1858 ;  and  Dr.  Alonzo 
Potter,  who  was  consecrated  on  the  23d  of  September, 
1845. 

Several  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Churches  in 
Delaware  are  of  very  ancient  date.  Delaware  did  not 
become  a  separate  State  till  1704 ;  and  from  that  pe- 
riod till  the  Revolution  several  of  those  churches  con- 
tinued to  exist  dependent  on  supplies  of  clergymen 
from  Pennsylvania.  In  1817,  there  remained  but  two 
clergymen  of  this  sect  in  that  State.  In  1844,  the 
parishes  were  seventeen,  and  the  clergy  ten.  On  the 
12th  of  October,  1841,  Rev.  Alfred  Lee  was  conse- 
crated Bishop  of  the  diocese. 

In  Maryland,  the  first  church  of  this  denomination 
was  erected  in  1675.  In  1692,  the  whole  colony  con- 
tained thirty-one  parishes.  For  many  years  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  Church  was  the  dominant  power  in  the 
State  —  though  the  utmost  religious  freedom  was 
granted  by  them,  as  long  as  they  remained  in  the  ma- 
jority. In  1792,  the  number  of  Protestant  Episcopal 
parishes  in  the  State  was  about  forty.  In  1844,  their 
number  had  increased  to  about  one  hundred.  The 
first  Bishop  of  the  church  in  Maryland  was  Rev.  T.  J. 
Clagget,  who  was  consecrated  in  September,  1792. 
After  him  succeeded  Bishops  Kemp,  Stone,  and 


126  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

Whittingham.  The  last  was  consecrated  in  Septem- 
ber, 1840. 

In  Massachusetts  the  Episcopal  Church  took  its  rise 
at  an  early  period,  the  first  congregation  being  gath- 
ered there  in  1679.  The  churches  grew  in  number 
until  after  the  era  of  the  Revolution,  when  the  mys- 
terious and  potent  rise  of  the  Unitarian  faith  gradually 
exerted  a  strong  influence  upon  a  portion  of  the  com- 
munity in  Boston  and  its  vicinity,  and  both  clergy- 
men and  people  avowed  themselves  believers  in  the 
new  faith,  and  severed  their  connection  with  the  old. 
By  this  means,  also,  some  of  the  church  edifices  be- 
came alienated  from  the  Episcopal  service,  and  were 
devoted  to  the  use  and  occupation  of  the  Unitarian 
clergymen.  The  history  of  "  King's  Chapel,"  one  of 
the  oldest  churches  in  Boston,  is  an  illustration  of  this 
remark.  Four  Bishops  have  successively  presided  in 
the  diocese  of  Massachusetts  —  Drs.  Bass,  Parker, 
Griswold,  and  Eastburn;  the  last  having  been  conse- 
crated in  December,  1842.  In  1844,  the  number  of 
parishes  under  his  jurisdiction  was  forty-eight;  the 
number  of  clergymen  was  sixty. 

It  is  in  the  State  of  New  York  that  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church  in  this  country  has  flourished  most 
extensively.  The  first  parish  was  formed  in  New 
York  city,  in  1697,  the  Rev.  M.  Yesey  being  the  rec- 
tor. He  continued  to  perform  the  duties  of  his  office 
during  the  amazing  period  of  more  than  fifty  years. 
In  1752,  there  w^ere  twenty  parishes  in  the  colony, 
and  they  grew  rapidly.  By  the  bounty  of  Queen 
Anne,  a  very  large  amount  of  property  was  conferred 
on  Trinity  parish,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  which  in- 
creased in  value  from  year  to  year,  until  now  it 
amounts  to  the  sum  of  many  millions.  A  large  por- 
tion of  the  surplus  revenue  of  this  wealthy  and  opu- 
lent corporation  has  been  spent  in  building  churches, 
and  in  assisting  feeble  parishes  throughout  the  State 
of  New  York  —  thus  contributing  to  the  increase  of 
churches.  In  1838,  it  was  found  necessary  to  divide 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  127 

the  diocese  into  those  of  Eastern  and  "Western  New 
York.  In  1844,  the  number  of  parishes  in  Eastern 
New  York  was  one  hundred  and  sixty-four ;  those  of 
Western,  were  one  hundred  and  sixteen.  The  whole 
number  of  clergymen  in  the  State,  at  that  time,  was 
three  hundred.  New  York  has  had  six  Bishops  — 
Drs.  Provost,  Moore,  Hobart,  B.  T.  Onderdonk,  (sus- 
pended in  January,  1845,)  Potter,  and  De  Lancey  — 
the  last  of  whom  officiates  in  the  diocese  of  Western 
New  York.  He  was  the  first  Bishop  consecrated  there 
since  the  separation.  In  the  city  and  State  of  New 
York,  this  sect  is  greatly  superior  to  all  others  in 
influence  and  wealth.  The  enormous  resources  of 
Trinity  Church  have  aided  very  effectually  in  produc- 
ing this  result ;  and  it  cannot  be  denied,  in  spite  of 
all  the  slanders  and  the  opposition  which  that  church 
has  had  to  endure,  that  its  mea  is  have  generally  been 
expended  in  a  judicious  and  c  ^mmendable  manner. 

The  first  Episcopal  Churc  h  in  New  Jersey  was 
founded  by  the  Rev.  John  Ta  hot,  in  1705.  After  the 
lapse  of  fifty  years,  the  number  of  parishes  amounted 
to  only  sixteen,  and  the  clergy  to  eight.  In  1844,  the 
parishes  were  forty-six,  aud  the  clergy  fifty.  The 
church  has  never  flourished  very  much  in  this  State, 
in  consequence  of  the  operation  of  several  unfavorable 
influences.  Rev.  John  Croes  was  consecrated  in 
November,  1815,  and  died  in  1832.  His  successor 
was  the  well-known  Dr.  George  W.  Doane,  who  was 
consecrated  on  the  31st  of  October,  1832. 

This  denomination  in  the  United  States  is  directly 
descended  from  the  Church  of  England,  which  doc- 
trinally  claims  to  be  based  on  the  Holy  Scriptures  as 
interpreted  in  the  Apostles  and  other  ancient  creeds 
of  the  Church  that  have  been  universally  received, 
and  to  have  kept  herself  aloof  from  all  the  modern 
systems  of  faith,  whether  of  Calvin,  or  Luther,  or 
Arminius,  leaving  her  members  free  to  enjoy  their 
own  opinions  on  all  points  not  represented  in  the 
Scriptures  as  necessary  to  the  soul's  health,  and  refus- 


128  HISTORY   OF  ALL   KELIGIONS. 

ing  to  be  narrowed  down  to  any  other  creed  or  creeds 
than  those  of  the  Apostles  and  the  Primitive  Church. 
She  claims  also  to  have  retained  all  that  is  essential 
to  church  organization  in  her  Episcopate,  and  in  her 
liturgy  to  have  not  only  a  wise  and  judicious  compend 
of  doctrine  and  devotion,  but  also  one  of  the  most 
effectual  of  all  possible  conservative  safeguards  for  the 
faith  once  delivered  to  the  saints.  The  characteristic 
tenets  of  the  Church  of  England,  besides  the  funda- 
mental doctrines  of  the  Trinity  and  redemption 
through  the  all-sufficient  atonement  once  made  for  all 
by  the  death  of  Christ  on  the  cross,  are  a  regeneration 
or  spiritual  birth  in  baptism,  in  which  the  baptized 
becomes  a  member  of  the  Church,  and  a  growth  in 
grace  by  the  use  of  the  sacraments  and  ministrations 
of  the  Church  duly  administered  and  duly  received, 
made  efficacious  by  tl  e  word  of  divine  truth  and  the 
gracious  influences  of  he  Holy  Ghost,  freely  given  to 
all  who  duly  seek  and  mthfully  use  them.  The  con- 
dition of  man  after  the  fall  is  such  that  he  can  do  no- 
thing* acceptable  to  God  without  perverting  grace; 
good  works,  though  pleas:ng  to  heaven,  have  no  power 
to  put  away  sin;  works  of  supererogation,  over  and 
above  God's  commandments,  cannot  be  taught  with- 
out arrogance  and  impiety.  The  Church  has  power 
to  decree  rites  or  ceremonies,  and  to  decide  matters 
of  faith ;  the  Roman  Catholic  doctrines  of  purgatory, 
invocation  of  saints,  and  respect  to  relics  and  images, 
are  rejected;  clergymen  are  allowed  to  marry;  and 
communion  is  to  be  given  in  both  kinds.  The  num- 
ber of  sacraments  is  two  —  Baptism,  and  the  Lord's 
Supper.  Three  clerical  orders  are  recognized  —  bish- 
ops, priests,  and  deacons,  —  the  first  deriving  their  office 
in  direct  succession  from  the  Apostles  by  Episcopal 
consecration,  and  the  others  receiving  ordination  at 
the  hands  of  a  bishop.  Those  of  the  second  order  are 
entitled  archdeacons,  deans,  rectors,  vicars,  or  curates, 
according  to  their  functions.  A  reader  is  a  layman 
licensed  by  the  bishop  to  read  in  a  church  or  chapel 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  129 

where  there  is  no  clergyman.     Parson  signifies  a  cler- 
gyman in  possession  of  a  parochial  church. 

From  the  time  of  the  first  congregations  of  the 
Church  of  England  in  America,  in  1607,  to  the  close 
of  the  Revolution,  all  the  clergy  in  the  colonies  were 
regarded  as  under  the  supervision  of  the  Bishop  of 
London.  The  first  American  bishop  was  Rev.  Sam- 
uel Seabury,  who,  in  1783,  was  consecrated  in  Scot- 
land as  Bishop  of  Connecticut.  All  Protestant  Epis- 
copal churches  in  the  United  States  are  associated  in 
one  national  body,  called  the  General  Convention,  which 
meets  triennially.  This  body  is  composed  of  two 
houses  —  the  House  of  Bishops,  including  the  bishops 
of  all  the  dioceses  in  the  country ;  and  the  House  of 
Clerical  and  Lay  Deputies.  The  clergy  and  laity, 
composing  the  House  of  Deputies,  meet  and  deliber- 
ate together ;  but,  when  required,  vote  separately,  and 
sometimes  by  dioceses.  The  General  Convention  di- 
rects the  manner  in  which  the  qualifications  of  candi- 
dates for  orders  shall  be  estimated  and  determined ; 
regulates  the  particulars  in  regard  to  the  election  and 
ordination  of  the  orders  of  the  ministry ;  defines  the 
nature  of  ecclesiastical  offences,  and  decrees  the  pun- 
ishment thereof;  settles  the  particular  form  and  orders 
of  its  common  prayer,  and  publishes  authorized  edi- 
tions of  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer ;  and  directs  the 
mode  and  manner  of  its  intercourse  with  foreign 
churches.  In  all  cases  the  House  of  Bishops  has  a 
negative  upon  the  House  of  Deputies ;  but  when  ex- 
ercised, must  be  communicated  within  a  limited  time 
to  that  house.  No  law  or  canon  can  be  enacted  with- 
out the  concurrence  of  both  clergy  and  laity ;  no  man 
can  be  introduced  into  the  sacred  office  without  testi- 
monials from  both  orders ;  no  clergyman  be  sent  to 
minister  where  he  may  not  choose  to  go ;  no  parish 
be  required  to  receive  or  continue  a  clergyman  obnox- 
ious to  a  majority  of  the  parishioners;  no  man  be 
punished  for  any  offence  not  clearly  defined  by  the 
laws  of  the  Church,  nor  in  any  manner  but  in  that 
9 


130  HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

prescribed  by  the  same,  and  never  without  an  oppor-, 
tunity  of  a  trial  by  his  peers.  The  salaries  of  the 
clergy  are  determined  by  the  mutual  agreement  of 
ministers  and  people. 

We  insert  the  following,  relating  to  special  days 
and  seasons  observed  by  the  Church,  taken  from  the 
"  Book  of  Common  Prayer  "  of  the  Protestant  Epis- 
copal Church  of  the  United  States.  Some  of  them  are 
observed  with  a  great  degree  of  strictness  and  religious 
devotion,  while  to  others  but  little  attention  is  given. 

RULES 

TO  KNOW  WHEN  THE  MOVEABLE  FEASTS  AND   HOLT-DATS  BEGIN. 

EASTER-DAY,  on  which  the  rest  depend,  is  always  the  First  Sunday  after  the  Full 
Moon,  which  happens  upon  or  next  after  the  Twenty-first  Day  of  March  ;  and  if 
the  Full  Moon  happen  upon  a  Sunday,  Easter-Day  is  the  Sunday  after. 

Advent-Sunday  is  always  the  nearest  Sunday  to  the  Feast  of  St.  Andrew,  whether 
before  or  after. 

Septuagesima         }  f  Nine 


Quadragesima       )  (  Six 

Rogation-Sunday   |  C  Five  Weeks 

Ascension-Day        \  .  1    Forty  Days       »     ...       m.,./,.. 

Whit-Sunday         f  *S    Seven  Weeks    >"  After  Easter' 

Trinity- Sunday     )  (  Eight  Weeks 

A  TABLE  OF  FEASTS, 

TO  BE  OBSERVED  IN  THIS  CHURCH  THROUGHOUT  THE  TEAR. 


All  Sundays  in  the  Year. 

The    Circumcision  of  our   Lord    JESUS 

CHRIST. 
The  Epiphany. 
The  Conversion  of  St.  Paul. 
The  Purification  of  the  Blessed  Virgin. 
St.  Matthias  the  Apostle. 
The  Annunciation  of  the  Blessed  Virgin. 
St.  Mark  the  Evangelist. 
St.  Philip  and  St.  James  the  Apostles. 
The     Ascension    of    our    Lord     JESUS 

CHRIST. 
St.  Barnabas. 

The  Nativity  of  St.  John  the  Baptist. 
St.  Peter  the  Apostle. 


St.  James  the  Apostle. 

St.  Bartholomew  the  Apostle. 

St.  Matthew  the  Apostle. 

St.  Michael  and  all  Angels. 

St.  Luke  the  Evangelist. 

St.  Simon  and  St.  Jude  the  Apostle. 

All  Saints. 

St.  Andrew  the  Apostle. 

St.  Thomas  the  Apostle. 

The  Nativity  of  our  Lord  JESUS  CHRIST. 

St.  Stephen  the  Martyr. 

St.  John  the  Evangelist. 

The  Holy  Innocents. 

Monday  and  Tuesday  in  Easter- Week. 

Monday  and  Tuesday  in  W7hitsun-Week. 


A  TABLE  OF  FASTS. 

Ash- Wednesday.  Good-Friday. 

OTHER  DAYS  OF  FASTING, 

ON  WHICH  THE  CHURCH  REQUIRES  SUCH  A  MEASURE  OP  ABSTINENCE  AS  IS  MORE  ESPECIALLY 
SUITED  TO  EXTRAORDINARY  ACTS  AND  EXERCISES  OF  DEVOTION. 

I.  The  Forty  Days  of  Lent. 
II.  The    Ember-Days  at    the    Four  Seasons,  f  The  First  Sunday  in  Lent. 

being  the  <  The  Feast  of  Pentecost. 

Wednesday,  Friday,  and  Saturday  after  f  September  14,  and  December  13. 
III.  The  three  Rogation-Days,  being  the  Monday,  Tuesday,  and   Wednesday  before 

Holy-Thursday,  or  the  Ascension  of  our  Lord. 
IY.  All  the  Fridays  in  the  Year,  except  Christmas-Day. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  the  first  Thursday  in  November  (or,  if  any  other  day  be 
appointed  by  the  Civil  Authority,  then  such  day)  shall  be  observed  as  a  day  of  Thanks- 
giving to  Almighty  God,  for  the  Fruits  of  the  Earth,  and  all  other  Blessings  of  his 
merciful  Providence. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  131 

The  doctrines  of  this  Church  are  taught  in  what  are 
known  as  the  "THIRTY-NINE  ARTICLES,"  and  these 
articles  embrace  and  treat  of  the  following  subjects  : 

Article  1st.  Of  Faith  in  the  Holy  Trinity.  Art.  2d. 
Of  the  Word,  or  Son  of  God,  which  was  made  very 
Man.  Art.  3d.  Of  the  going  down  of  Christ  into 
Hell.  Art.  4th.  Of  the  Resurrection  of  Christ.  Art. 
5th.  Of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Art.  6th.  Of  the  Sufficiency 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures  for  Salvation.  Art.  7th.  Of 
the  Old  Testament.  Art.  8th.  Of  the  Creeds.  Art. 
9th.  Of  Original  or  Birth-Sin.  Art.  10th.  Of  Free- 
will. Art.  llth.  Of  Justification  of  Man.  Art.  12th. 
Of  Good  Works.  Art.  13th.  Of  Works  before  Justi- 
fication. Art.  14th.  Of  Works  of  Supererogation. 
Art.  15th.  Of  Christ  alone  without  Sin.  Art.  16th. 
Of  Sin  after  Baptism.  Art.  17th.  Of  Predestination 
and  Election.  Art.  18th.  Of  obtaining  eternal  Salva- 
tion only  by  the  name  of  Christ.  Art.  19th.  Of  the 
Church.  Art.  20th.  Of  the  Authority  of  the  Church. 
Art.  21st.  Of  the  Authority  of  General  Councils.  Art. 
22d.  Of  Purgatory.  Art.  23d.  Of  Ministering  in  the 
Congregation.  Art.  24th.  Of  Speaking  in  the  Con- 
gregatioa  in  such  a  Tongue  as  the  People  Under- 
standeth.  Art.  25th.  Of  the  Sacraments.  Art.  26th. 
Of  the  Unworthiness  of  the  Ministers,  which  hinders 
not  the  effect  of  the  Sacraments.  Art.  27th.  Of  Bap- 
tism. Art.  28th.  Of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Art.  29th. 
Of  the  Wicked,  which  eat  not  the  Body  of  Christ  in 
the  use  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Art.  30th.  Of  both 
Kinds.  Art.  31st.  Of  the  one  Oblation  of  Christ  fin- 
ished upon  the  Cross.  Art.  32d.  Of  the  Marriage  of 
Priests.  Art.  33d.  Of  excommunicated  Persons,  how 
they  are  to  be  avoided.  Art.  34th.  Of  the  Traditions 
of  the  Church.  Art.  35th.  Of  the  Homilies.  Art. 
36th.  Of  Consecration  of  Bishops  and  Ministers.  Art. 
37th.  Of  the  Power  of  the  Civil  Magistrates.  Art. 
38th.  Of  Christian  Men's  Goods,  which  are  not  com- 
mon. Art.  39th.  Of  a  Christian  Man's  Oath. 

The  Protestant  Episcopal   Church  in  the  United 


132  HISTORY  OP.  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

States  occupies  the  first  rank  among  Christian  sects 
for  several  important  characteristics.  Her  members 
are  unrivalled  for  their  liberality  and  taste  in  the  erec- 
tion of  church  edifices,  and  for  the  liberal  support 
which,  as  a  general  thing,  they  give  to  their  clergy. 
Meanness,  parsimony,  and  similar  defects,  cannot  be 
charged  upon  the  members  of  this  Church;  at  the 
same  time  they  are  distinguished  for  their  intelligence 
and  mental  cultivation ;  and  were  such  a  thing  as  an 
established  church  possible  in  this  land  of  equality 
and  freedom,  it  is  certain  that  this  Church  would  be 
admirably  adapted  to  such  a  high  and  ambitious  rela- 
tion. The  clergymen  of  this  sect  are  generally  well 
educated,  and  in  their  literary  accomplishments  and 
scientific  attainments  are  not  excelled  by  those  of  any 
other  denomination.  It  is  no  small  glory  to  this  sect, 
that,  in  this  country,  many  of  those  men  who  have 
been  most  distinguished  in  the  annals  of  war  and  of 
statesmanship,  have  belonged  to  it ;  and  by  their  pri- 
vate virtues  and  public  fame  have  greatly  increased  its 
influence. 

UNITED  BRETHREN  IN  CHRIST. 

THIS  sect  arose  among  the  Germans  in  Pennsylva- 
nia about  1760.  They  are  frequently  confounded  with 
the  Moravians,  but  have  no  ecclesiastical  connection 
with  that  sect.  They  have  but  one  grade  of  ministers, 
are  American  in  theology,  and  supply  their  churches 
with  preaching  on  the  itinerant  plan.  They  have 
quarterly,  annual,  and  general  conferences.  The 
highest  ecclesiastical  body  is  the  General  Conference, 
which  meets  every  four  years,  and  is  composed  of  del- 
egates from  the  conference  districts,  elected  by  ballot, 
every  member  of  the  Church  being  entitled  to  vote. 
~No  adhering  member  of  any  secret  combination,  and 
no  manufacturer,  seller,  or  drinker  of  intoxicating 
liquors,  can  be  a  member  of  the  Church.  They  regard 
a  change  of  heart  as  an  indispensable  condition  of 
membership.  Baptism  is  administered  by  either 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  133 

sprinkling,  pouring,  or  immersion,  each,  member  be- 
ing permitted  to  exercise  his  own  judgment  in  regard 
to  the  mode.  Infants  are  baptized  when  it  is  desired. 
Open  communion  at  the  Lord's  table  is  practised. 
Until  about  1829,  the  United  Brethren  in  Christ  con- 
fined their  labors  almost  exclusively  to  persons  speak- 
ing the  German  language,  but  at  present  by  far  the 
greater  number  of  the  communicants  speak  English. 
They  have  churches  in  the  Eastern,  Middle,  Southern, 
and  Western  States,  in  most  of  the  Territories,  and  in 
Canada.  (New  Am.  Cyclop.)  In  1869,  the  Church  had 
38  annual  conferences,  3,663  societies,  864  itinerant 
and  783  local  preachers,  and  108,122  members.  ^  They 
have  seven  colleges  or  universities,  four  seminaries, 
2,268  Sunday  -  schools,  with  16,057  teachers,  and 
106,202  scholars.  The  Church  has  five  bishops. 

MAEONITES. 

A  SECT  of  Christians  in  Asiatic  Turkey,  dwelling 
principally  about  Mount  Lebanon.  Their  origin  and 
the  derivation  of  their  name,  are  matters  of  some  un- 
certainty; but  the  prevailing  opinion  is,  that  they 
were  called  either  after  a  hermit  Maro,  who  lived  in 
the  fifth  century,  or  after  their  first  patriarch,  John 
Maro,  who  flourished  two  centuries  later.  The  gen- 
eral opinion  is,  that  the  Maronites  are  sprung  from 
the  Monothelites,  who  arose  in  the  seventh  century, 
and  held  the  opinion  that  Christ,  though  he  united  in 
himself  the  divine  and  human  natures,  had  but  will. 
They  were  supported  by  several  emperors,  particularly 
Heraclius;  but  they  were  condemned  and  banished 
by  Anastasius.  In  the  country  of  Lebanon,  they  be- 
came a  warlike  mountain  people,  and  defended  their 
freedom  first  against  the  Greeks,  and  subsequently 
against  the  Saracens.  At  length,  in  1182,  they  re- 
nounced Monothelitism,  and  recognized  the  authority 
of  the  Eoman  Church.  Nevertheless,  though  united 
with  Kome,  they  are  permitted  to  retain  their  distinc- 
tive national  rites  and  usages.  They  administer  com- 
munion in  both  kinds ;  they  use  the  ancient  Syriac 


134  HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

language  in  their  liturgy;  their  clergy,  if  married 
before  ordination,  are  permitted  to  retain  their  wives; 
and  they  have  many  festivals  and  saints  not  recog- 
nized in  the  Roman  calendar.  In  1584,  Pope  Gregory 
XIII.  founded  at  Rome  a  Maronite  college,  from 
which  they  have  since  received  most  of  their  priests. 
Their  head  is  the  patriarch  of  Antioch,  whose  resi- 
dence, however,  is  the  Convent  of  Daer-al-Shafer  on 
Mount  Lebanon.  Every  tenth  year  he  has  to  give  an 
account  of  the  condition  of  the  Church  to  the  Pope  at 
Rome.  Subordinate  to  the  patriarchs  are  bishops  and 
several  other  orders  of  clergymen.  In  the  district  of 
Lebanon  there  were  upwards  of  two  hundred  reli- 
gious houses  under  the  rule  of  St.  Anthony;  but  in 
consequence  of  the  recent  war  with  the  Druses,  many 
of  these  have  been  destroyed.  Their  political  consti- 
tution is  that  of  a  military  commonwealth,  the  su- 
preme government  being  in  the  hands  of  four  chief 
sheiks,  who  are  also  their  leaders  in  time  of  war. 
Their  dependence  on  the  Ottoman  empire  is  little 
more  than  nominal,  consisting  merely  in  the  payment 
of  an  annual  tribute.  In  1841,  a  fierce  war  raged  be- 
tween the  Maronites  and  the  neighboring  Druses, 
being  aided  and  excited  by  the  Mohammedan  popula- 
tion, and  even  by  Turkish  troops.  The  Maronites  were 
soon  overpowered.  About  one  hundred  and  sixty 
towns  and  villages  were  destroyed,  and  nearly  their 
entire  territory  laid  waste.  Many  of  the  people  were 
cruelly  massacred.  At  length  peace  was  concluded, 
and  to  prevent  the  return  of  similar  atrocities,  the 
European  powers,  at  a  conference  held  at  Paris,  agreed 
upon  an  intervention  in  Syria  for  the  protection  of 
the  Christians.  The  number  of  the  Maronites  is  about 
20,000. 

DEUSES. 

THE  popular  name  of  a  race  which  inhabit  a  district 
in  the  north  of  Syria,  comprising  the  whole  of  the 
south  range  of  Mount  Lebanon,  and  the  west  slope  of 
Anti-Lebanon.  In  this  district  they  hold  exclusive 
possession  of  about  four  hundred  towns  and  villages, 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  135 

and  divide  the  possession  of  about  two  hundred  more 
with  the  Maronites,  while  eighty  villages  in  other 
parts  of  Anti-Lebanon  are  peopled  by  them.  In  reli- 
gion they  pass  among  the  Maronites  for  atheists.  The 
great  body  of  the  people  are  certainly  indifferent  to 
any  religious  form ;  but  a  certain  sect  styling  them- 
selves Akels,  are  very  rigid  in  the  practice  of  their 
faith,  in  which  the  doctrines  of  the  Pentateuch,  the 
Christian  Gospel,  the  Koran,  and  the  Suli  allegories 
are  wonderfully  interwoven.  They  number  about 
80,000.  They  are  noted  for  their  hospitality;  but 
their  resentment  is  easily  aroused,  and  this  character- 
istic was  artfully  used  by  the  Turkish  authorities  in 
fomenting  the  massacre  of  the  Christians  in  Lebanon, 
in  1860.  From  May  to  October,  of  that  year,  it  is 
said  the  Druses  slew  about  12,000  men,  women,  and 
children,  of  whom  two  hundred  were  priests;  destroy- 
ing two  hundred  and  twenty  churches  and  seven  con- 
vents. Elaborate  efforts  have  been  made  to  prove 
that  the  Druses  are  the  remnants  of  the  lost  ten  tribes 
of  the  Jews.  Their  peculiar  and  apparently  foreign 
belief  gives  some  color  to  the  supposition. 

EVANGELICAL  ALLIANCE. 

AN  association  of  Christians  of  various  denomina- 
tions, formally  organized  in  London,  in  1846.  Its 
object  is  to  promote  unity  and  co-operation  among 
the  different  sects  of  Protestants,  and  to  unite  their 
efforts  against  the  advance  of  Romanism  and  infidelity. 
Their  object  is  also  to  encourage  and  strengthen  la- 
borers in  the  cause  of  Christianity  in  all  parts  of  the 
world,  particularly  such  as  are  struggling  with  diffi- 
culties and  hardships.  They  also  exert  themselves  in 
behalf  of  religious  toleration  in  all  parts  of  the  world. 
The  branch  associations  of  the  Alliance  are  seven  in 
number,  as  follows :  —  1.  Great  Britain  and  Ireland;  2. 
United  States ;  3.  France,  Belgium,  and  the  French 
portion  of  Switzerland;  4.  Northern  Germany;  5. 
South  Germany  and  the  German  portion  of  Switzer- 
land; 6.  British  North  America;  7.  West  Indies. 


136  HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

The  members  of  the  Alliance  are  such  as  hold  evan- 
gelical views  on  the  following  points  :  The  divine  in- 
spiration of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  the  right  of 
private  judgment;  the  Trinity;  depravity  of  human 
nature ;  the  incarnation ;  justification  by  faith  alone ; 
the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  conversion ;  the  im- 
mortality of  the  soul ;  resurrection  and  judgment;  the 
divine  institution  of  the  Christian  ministry ;  and  the 
obligation  of  the  ordinances  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
supper.  They  hold  frequent  conferences  for  devotion 
and  mutual  consultation. 

EVANGELICAL  ASSOCIATION. 

THIS  society  is  sometimes  popularly  called  Albright 
Methodists,  from  Jacob  Albright,  a  gifted  preacher, 
who  was  instrumental  in  organizing  the  society  in 
1800.  In  most  doctrinal  points  they  adhere  closely 
to  those  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  The 
government  is  Episcopal  in  form,  but  the  bishops  are 
elected  quadrennially.  This  sect  is  quite  strong  and 
highly  influential  in  the  Middle  States,  and  are  con- 
stantly increasing  in  importance.  The  members  are 
zealous  and  active  in  all  Christian  enterprises. 

BEREANS. 

THIS  is  a  sect  formed  of  dissenters  from  the  Church 
of  Scotland,  in  the  year  1773.  Rev.  J.  Barclay,  who 
died  in  1798,  was  the  founder.  They  believe  that  our 
only  source  of  information  as  to  the  existence,  char- 
acter, and  attributes  of  God,  is  his  inspired  Word  — 
the  Bible.  They  believe  a  large  proportion  of  the 
prophecies  of  the  Old  Testament  and  of  the  Psalms, 
to  be  typical  or  prophetical  of  Christ,  his  life,  and 
his  kingdom.  Unbelief  is,  in  their  view,  the  "  un- 
pardonable sin."  They  take  their  name  after  the  an- 
cient Bereans,  who  "  received  the  word  with  all  read- 
iness of  mind,  and  searched  the  Scriptures  daily." 
They  are  not  numerous,  but  are  known  to  some  ex- 
tent in  England,  Scotland,  and  America. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  137 


THE   GREEK   CHURCH. 

THE  Greek  Church  comprises  the  great  bulk  of  the  Chris- 
tian population  of  Russia  and  Greece,  Moldavia  and  Walla- 
chia,  besides  various  congregations  scattered  throughout  the 
provinces  of  the  Turkish  and  Austrian  empires,  who  ac- 
knowledge the  Patriarch  of  Constantinople  as  their  head. 

The  opinions  of  this  church  bear  considerable  affinity  to 
those  of  the  Latin,  or  Roman  Catholic.  The  fundamental 
distinction  is  the  rejection  of  the  spiritual  supremacy  of 
St.  Peter,  and  the  denial  of  any  visible  representative  of 
Christ  upon  earth.  In  the  view  which  it  takes  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  it  is  also  at  variance,  not  only  with  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  church,  but  with  Protestants.*  It  recog- 
nizes, however,  the  seven  sacraments ;  authorizes  the  of- 
fering of  prayer  to  the  saints  and  Virgin ;  and  encourages 
the  use  of  pictures,  though  forbidding  the  use  of  images. 
It  holds  in  reverence,  also,  the  relics  and  tombs  of  holy 
men ;  enjoins  strict  fasting  and  the  giving  of  alms,  looking 
upon  them  as  works  of  intrinsic  merit ;  and  numbers 
among  its  adherents  numerous  orders  of  monks  and  nuns. 
It  allows,  however,  the  marriage  of  its  secular  priests,  and 
rejects  auricular  confession.  It  holds  that  modified  form 
of  the  Roman  doctrine  of  the  eucharist,  which  is  denomi- 
nated Consubstantiation ;  and  apparently  entertains  some 
confused  notions  of  a  purgatory,  in  consideration  of  which 
it  offers  prayers  for  the  dead.  It  administers  baptism  by 
immersion. 

The  services  of  this  church  consist  almost  entirely  of 
ceremonial  observances. 

Preaching  and  the  reading  of  the  Scriptures  form  but  a 
small  part  of  them ;  the  former,  indeed  was  at  one  period 
altogether  forbidden  in  Russia. 

The  origin  of  the  separation  which  has  now  prevailed 
for  many  hundred  years  between  two  such  important  sec- 

*  The  variation  consists  in  the  idea,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  proceeds 
from  the  Son  alone,  and  not  from  the  Father  and  the  Son. 


138  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

tions  of  Christendom  as  the  Latin  and  Greek  churches,  ap- 
proaching so  near  as  they  do  in  many  of  their  fundamen- 
tal principles,  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  rival  pretensions 
set  up  by  the  bishops  of  the  two  imperial  cities,  Rome  and 
Constantinople,  and  dates  almost  from  the  foundation  of 
the  latter  capital.  The  Roman  branch  continued,  however, 
still  powerful  in  the  East,  and  the  intrigues  of  the  papal 
see  were  frequently  successful ;  until  in  1054,  the  mutual 
excommunications  pronounced  upon  each  other  by  Leo  IX. 
and  Cerularius,  caused  the  final  separation  which  has  con- 
tinued to  the  present  day. 

WILKINSON!  ANS. 

THE  followers  of  Jemima  Wilkinson,  who  was  born  in 
Cumberland,  R.  I.  In  1776,  she  asserted  that  she  was 
taken  sick  and  actually  died,  and  that  her  soul  went  to 
heaven.  Soon  after,  her  body  was  reanimated  with  the 
spirit  and  power  of  Christ,  upon  which  she  set  up  as  a 
public  teacher,  and  declared  she  had  an  immediate  revela- 
tion for  all  she  delivered,  and  was  arrived  to  a  state  of  ab- 
solute perfection.  It  is  also  said  she  pretended  to  foretell 
future  events,  to  discern  the  secrets  of  the  heart,  and  to 
have  the  power  of  healing  diseases  ;  and  if  any  person  who 
had  made  application  to  her  was  not  healed,  she  attributed 
it  to  his  want  of  faith.  She  asserted  that  those  who  re- 
fused to  believe  these  exalted  things  concerning  her,  will 
be  in  the  state  of  unbelieving  Jews,  who  rejected  the 
counsel  of  God  against  themselves ;  and  she  told  her 
hearers  that  was  the  eleventh  hour,  and  the  last  call  of 
mercy  that  ever  should  be  granted  them  ;  for  she  heard  an 
inquiry  in  heaven,  saying,  "  Who  will  go  and  preach  to  a 
dying  world  ?"  or  words  to  that  import ;  and  she  said  she 
answered,  "Here  am  I — send  me;"  and  that  she  left  the 
realms  of  light  and  glory,  and  the  company  of  the  heavenly 
host  who  are  continually  praising  and  worshipping  God, 
in  order  to  descend  upon  earth,  and  pass  through  many 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  139 

sufferings  and  trials  for  the  happiness  of  mankind.     She 
assumed  the  title  of  the  universal  friend  of  mankind. 

Jemima  made  some  converts  in  Rhode  Island  and  New 
York,  and  died  in  1819.  She  is  said  to  have  been  a  very- 
beautiful  but  artful  woman. 

MYSTICS. 

THIS  denomination  derived  their  name  from  their  main- 
taining, that  the  Scriptures  have  a  mystic  and  hidden 
sense,  which  must  be  sought  after,  in  order  to  understand 
their  true  import.  They  derived  their  origin  from  Diony- 
sius,  the  Areopagite,  who  was  converted  to  Christianity, 
in  the  first  century,  by  the  preaching  of  St.  Paul  at 
Athens.  To  support  this  idea,  they  attributed  to  this 
great  man  various  treatises,  which  are  generally  ascribed 
to  writers  who  lived  at  a  later  period,  particularly  to  a 
famous  Grecian  Mystic,  who,  it  is  said,  wrote  under 
the  protection  of  the  venerable  name  of  Dionysius,  the 
Areopagite. 

This  denomination  appeared  in  the  third  century ;  and 
increased  in  the  fourth.  In  the  fifth  century,  they  gained 
ground  in  the  eastern  provinces.  In  the  year  eight  hun- 
dred and  twenty-four,  the  supposed  works  of  Dionysius 
kindled  the  flame  of  Mysticism  in  the  western  provinces. 
In  the  twelfth  century,  they  took  the  lead  in  their  method 
of  expounding  the  Scriptures.  In  the  thirteenth  century, 
they  were  the  most  formidable  antagonists  of  the  school- 
men ;  and  towards  the  close  of  the  fourteenth  century, 
they  resided,  and  propagated  their  sentiments,  in  almost 
every  part  of  Europe.  In  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  cen- 
turies, many  persons  of  distinguished  merit  embraced  their 
tenets.  In  the  seventeenth  century,  the  radical  principle 
of  Mysticism  was  adopted  by  the  Behmists,  Bourignon- 
ists,  and  Quietists. 

The  ancient  Mystics  were  distinguished  by  their  pro- 
fessing pure,  sublime,  and  perfect  devotion,  with  an  entire 


140  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

disinterested  love  of  God,  and  by  their  aspiring  to  a  state 
of  passive  contemplation. 

The  first  suggestions  of  these  sentiments  have  been  sup- 
posed to  proceed  from  the  known  doctrine  of  the  Platonic 
school,  which  was  adopted  by  Origen  and  his  disciples, 
that  the  divine  nature  was  diffused  through  all  human 
souls,  or,  in  other  words,  that  the  faculty  of  reason,  from 
which  proceeds  the  health  and  vigor  of  the  mind,  was  an 
emanation  from  God  into  the  human  soul,  and  compre- 
hended in  it  the  principles  and  elements  of  all  truth,  hu- 
man and  divine. 

They  denied  that  men  could,  by  labor  or  study,  excite 
this  celestial  flame  in  their  breasts.  Therefore,  they  dis- 
approved highly  of  the  attempts  of  those,  who,  by  defini- 
tions, abstract  theorems,  and  profound  speculations,  endea- 
voured to  form  distinct  notions  of  truth,  and  to  discover  its 
hidden  nature.  On  the  contrary,  they  maintained,  that 
silence,  tranquillity,  repose,  and  solitude,  accompanied 
with  such  acts  of  mortification  as  might  tend  to  attenuate 
and  exhaust  the  body,  were  the  means,  by  which  the  hid- 
den and  internal  word  was  excited  to  produce  its  latent 
virtues,  and  to  instruct  men  in  the  knowledge  of  divine 
things.  For  thus  they  reasoned: 

They,  wrho  behold,  with  a  noble  contempt,  all  human 
affairs,  who  turn  away  their  eyes  from  terrestrial  vanities, 
and  shut  all  the  avenues  of  the  outward  senses  against  the 
contagious  influence  of  an  outward  world,  must  necessa- 
rily return  to  God,  when  the  spirit  is  thus  disengaged  from 
the  impediments  which  prevent  this  happy  union:  and 
in  this  blessed  frame,  they  not  only  enjoy  inexpressible 
raptures  from  their  communion  with  the  Supreme  Being, 
but  also  are  invested  with  the  inestimable  privilege  of  con- 
templating truth  undisguised,  in  its  native  purity,  while 
others  behold  it  in  a  vitiated  and  delusive  form. 

The  apostle  tells  us,  that  the  Spirit  makes  intercession 
for  us,  &c.  Now,  if  the  Spirit  prays  in  us,  we  must  re- 
sign ourselves  to  its  motions,  and  be  swayed  and  guided 
by  its  impulses,  by  remaining  in  a  state  of  mere  inaction. 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  141 

As  the  Rev.  William  Law,  who  was  born  in  1687,  makes 
a  distinguished  figure  among  the  modern  Mystics,  a  brief 
account  of  the  outlines  of  his  system,  may  perhaps  be  en- 
tertaining to  the  readers. 

He  supposed  that  the  material  world  was  the  very  re- 
gion, which  originally  belonged  to  the  fallen  angels.  At 
length,  the  light  and  spirit  of  God  entered  into  the  chaos, 
and  turned  the  angels'  ruined  kingdom  into  a  paradise  on 
earth.  God  then  created  man,  and  placed  him  there. 
He  was  made  in  the  image  of  the  Triune  God,  a  living 
mirror  of  the  divine  nature,  formed  to  enjoy  communion 
with  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  and  live  on  earth,  as 
the  angels  do  in  heaven.  He  was  endowed  with  immor- 
tality ;  so  that  the  elements  of  this  outward  world  could 
not  have  any  power  of  acting  on  this  body.  But,  by  his 
fall,  he  changed  the  light,  life,  and  spirit  of  God,  for  the 
light,  life,  and  spirit  of  the  world.  He  died,  the  very  day 
of  his  transgression,  to  all  the  influences  and  operations  of 
the  spirit  of  God  upon  him,  as  we  die  to  the  influences  of 
this  world,  when  the  soul  leaves  the  body:  and  all  the 
influences  and  operations  of  the  elements  of  this  life  were 
open  in  him,  as  they  are  in  any  animal,  at  its  birth  into 
this  world.  He  became  an  earthly  creature,  subject  to  the 
dominion  of  this  outward  world ;  and  stood  only  in  the 
highest  rank  of  animals. 

But  the  goodness  of  God  would  not  leave  man  in  this 
condition.  Redemption  from  it  was  immediately  granted, 
and  the  bruiser  of  the  serpent  brought  the  life,  light,  and 
spirit  of  heaven,  once  more  into  the  human  nature.  All 
men,  in  consequence  of  the  redemption  of  Christ,  have  in 
them  the  first  spark,  or  seed,  of  the  divine  life,  as  a  trea- 
sure hidden  in  the  centre  of  our  souls,  to  bring  forth,  by 
degrees,  a  new  birth  of  that  life,  which  was  lost  in  para- 
dise. No  son  of  Adam  can  be  lost,  only  by  turning  away 
from  the  Saviour  within  him.  The  only  religion,  which 
can  save  us,  must  be  that,  which  can  raise  the  light,  life, 
and  spirit  of  God,  in  our  souls.  Nothing  can  enter  into 
the  vegetable  kingdom,  till  it  has  the  vegetable  life  in  it ; 


142  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

or  be  a  member  of  the  animal  kingdom,  till  it  has  tho 
animal  life.  Thus  all  nature  joins  with  the  gospel  ill 
affirming,  that  no  man  can  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  hea- 
ven, till  the  heavenly  life  is  born  in  him.  Nothing  can 
be  our  righteousness  or  recovery,  but  the  divine  nature 
of  Jesus  Christ  derived  to  our  souls. 

The  arguments,  which  are  brought  in  defence  of  this 
system,  cannot  easily  be  abridged  in  such  a  manner,  as  to 
render  them  intelligible.  Those  who  are  fond  of  mystical 
writings,  are  referred  to  the  works  of  this  ingenious  author. 

SIX-PRINCIPLE  BAPTISTS. 

BY  this  name  are  designated  those,  who  consider  that  the 
imposition  of  hands  subsequent  to  baptism,  and  generally 
on  the  admission  of  candidates  into  the  Church,  is  an  in- 
dispensable pre-requisite  for  Church  membership  and  com- 
munion. They  support  their  peculiar  principle  chiefly 
from  Heb.  vi.  1,  2 — "  Therefore,  leaving  the  principles  of 
the  doctrine  of  Christ,  let  us  go  on  unto  perfection ;  not 
laying  again  the  foundation  of  repentance  from  dead  works, 
and  of  faith  toward  God,  of  the  doctrine  of  baptisms,  and 
of  laying  on  of  hands,  and  of  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and 
of  eternal  judgment." 

As  these  two  verses  contain  six  distinct  propositions, 
one  of  which  is  the  laying  on  of  hands,  these  brethren 
have,  from  thence,  acquired  the  name  of  "  Six-Principle 
Baptists,"  to  distinguish  them  from  others,  whom  they 
sometimes  call  "  Five-Principle  Baptists."  They  have 
fourteen  churches  in  Massachusetts  and  Rhode  Island. 

MENNONITES. 

THE  Mennonites  were  a  society  of  Baptists  in  Holland, 
so  called  from  Mennon  Simonis,  of  Friesland,  who  lived  in 
the  sixteenth  century.  Some  of  them  came  to  the  United 
States,  and  settled  in  Pennsylvania,  where  a  considerable 
body  of  them  still  reside. 


HISTORY   OP  ALL  RELIGIONS.  143 

The  fundamental  maxim  of  this  denomination  is,  that 
practical  piety  is  the  essence  of  religion,  and  that  the 
surest  mark  of  the  true  Church  is  the  sanctity  of  its  mem- 
bers. They  advocate  perfect  toleration  in  religion,  and 
exclude  none — unite  in  pleading  for  toleration  in  religion, 
and  debar  none  from  their  assemblies  who  lead  pious 
lives,  and  own  the  Scriptures  for  the  word  of  God.  They 
teach  that  infants  are  not  the  proper  subjects  of  baptism ; 
that  ministers  of  the  gospel  ought  to  receive  no  salary  ; 
and  that  it  is  not  lawful  to  swear,  or  wage  war,  upon  any 
occasion.  They  also  maintain  that  the  terms  person  and 
Trinity  are  not  to  be  used  in  speaking  of  the  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost. 

The  Mennonites  meet  privately,  and  every  one  in  the 
assembly  has  the  liberty  to  speak,  to  expound  the  Scrip- 
tures, to  pray,  and  sing. 

The  Mennonites  in  Pennsylvania  do  not  baptize  by  im- 
mersion, though  they  administer  the  ordinance  to  none  but 
adult  persons.  Their  common  method  is  this :  The  per- 
son who  is  to  be  baptized,  kneels ;  the  minister  holds  his 
hands  over  him,  into  which  the  deacon  pours  water,  and 
through  which  it  runs  on  the  crown  of  the  kneeling  per- 
son's head;  after  which  follow  imposition  of  hands  and 
prayer. 

Mr.  Van  Beuning,  the  Dutch  ambassador,  speaking  of 
these  "  Harmless  Christians,"  as  they  choose  to  call  them- 
selves, says  :  "  The  Mennonites  are  good  people,  and  the 
most  commodious  to  a  state  of  any  in  the  world ;  partly, 
because  they  do  not  aspire  to  places  of  dignity ;  partly, 
because  they  edify  the  community  by  the  simplicity  of 
their  manners,  and  application  to  arts  and  industry ;  and 
partly,  because  we  need  fear  no  rebellion  from  a  sect  who 
make  it  an  article  of  their  faith  never  to  bear  arms." 


DUNKEES. 

CONRAD  PEYSEL,  a  German  Baptist,  was  the  founder  of 
the  Dunkers  about  the  year  1724.     Weary  of  the  world, 


144  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

he  retired  to  an  agreeable  solitude,  within  fifty  miles  of 
Philadelphia,  that  he  might. give  himself  up  to  contempla- 
tion. Curiosity  brought  several  of  his  countrymen  to  visit 
his  retreat,  and  by  degrees,  his  pious,  simple,  and  peace- 
able manners  induced  others  to  settle  near  him.  They 
formed  a  little  colony  of  German  Baptists,  which  they 
call  Euphrata  or  Euphrates,  in  allusion  to  the  Hebrews, 
who  used  to  sing  psalms  on  the  border  of  that  river. 

This  little  city  forms  a  triangle,  the  outside  of  which 
are  bordered  with  mulberry  and  apple  trees,  planted  with 
great  regularity.  In  the  middle  is  a  very  large  orchard, 
and  between  the  orchard  and  these  ranges  of  trees  are 
houses  built  of  wood,  three  stories  high,  where  every  Dun- 
ker  is  left  to  enjoy  the  pleasures  of  his  meditations  with- 
out disturbance.  Their  number  in  1777  did  not  exceed 
five  hundred,  and  since  that  period  they  have  not  multi- 
plied greatly.  They  do  not  foolishly  renounce  mar- 
riage, but  when  married  they  detach  themselves  from  the 
rest  of  the  community  and  retire  into  another  part  of  the 
country. 

The  Dunkers  lament  the  fall  of  Adam,  but  deny  the 
imputation  of  his  sin  to  posterity.  They  use  trine  im- 
mersion (dipping  three  times)  in  baptism,  and  employ  the 
ceremony  of  the  imposition  of  hands  when  the  baptized 
are  received  into  the  church.  They  dress  like  Dominican 
friars,  shaving  neither  head  nor  beard ;  have  different 
apartments  for  the  sexes,  and  live  chiefly  on  roots  and  vege- 
tables, except  at  their  love-feast,  when  they  eat  mutton. 
It  is  said  no  bed  is  allowed  except  in  case  of  sickness, 
having  in  their  separate  cells  a  bench  to  lie  upon,  and  a 
block  of  wood  for  their  pillow!  They  deny  the  eternity 
of  future  punishment — believe  that  the  dead  have  the  gos- 
pel preached  to  them  by  our  Saviour,  and  that  the  souls 
of  the  just  are  employed  to  preach  the  gospel  to  those 
who  have  had  no  revelation  in  this  life. 

But  their  chief  tenet  is,  that  future  happiness  is  only  to 
be  obtained  by  penance  and  outward  mortification,  so  as 
that  Jesus  Christ  by  his  meritorious  sufferings  became  the 


- 
& 


3R.ABJBII- 


HISTORY  OP  ALL   RELIGIOKS.  145 

Kedeemer  of  mankind  in  general,  so  each  individual  of  the 
human  race  by  a  life  of  abstinence  and  restraint  may  work 
out  his  own  salvation.  Nay,  it  is  said  they  admit  of  works 
of  supererogation. 

They  use  the  same  form  of  government  and  the  same 
discipline  as  other  Baptists  do,  except  that  every  person  is 
aKowed  to  speak  in  the  congregation,  and  their  best  speaker 
is  usually  ordained  to  be  a  minister.  They  have  also 
deacons,  and  deaconesses  from  among  their  ancient  wid- 
ows, who  may  all  use  their  gifts,  and  exhort  at  stated 
times. 


THE  JEWS. 

THE  origin  of  this  ancient  and  remarkable  people  is 
traced  to  Abraham,  who  was  chosen  by  the  Almighty  to 
be  the  father  and  progenitor  of  a  favorite  people,  to  whom 
the  Deity  promised  to  reveal  his  law  and  will,  in  prefer- 
ence to  all  the  rest  of  mankind.  The  moral  and  ceremo- 
nial laws,  which  were  given  to  govern  them,  are  contained 
in  the  Pentateuch,  or  Five  Books  of  Moses;  and  these 
present  one  of  the  most  remarkable  systems  of  ethics  and 
worship  which  the  world  has  ever  seen.  The  contents  of 
these  books  refer  so  exclusively  to  matters  of  a  temporal 
and  mundane  character,  that  many  persons  have  doubted 
whether  the  Jewish  Scriptures  really  made  any  reference 
to  a  future  state  after  death ;  and  Bishop  Warburton,  in 
his  famous  work  on  the  "Divine  Legation  of  Moses,"  de- 
nies that  any  such  doctrine  was  known  to  Moses  or  his 
successors. 

The  nistory  of  the  Jewish  people  till  the  time  of  Christ 
is  contained,  to  some  extent,  in  several  books  of  the  Old 
Testament.  When  the  Messiah  came,  they  were  divided 
into  several  religious  sects :  the  Pharisees,  who  placed  the 
substance  and  value  of  their  religion  in  external  forms 
and  ceremonies  ,  the  Sadducees,  who  were  remarkable  for 
their  incredulity ;  and  the  Essenes,  who  were  distinguished 
by  their  austere  sanctity.  These  sects  are  referred  to  in 
10 

\ 


146  I7ISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

the  New  Testament.  In  more  modern  times,  the  Jews  are 
divided  into  two  classes :  the  Caraites,  who  admit  no  rule 
in  religious  matters  except  the  strict  letter  of  the  law  of 
Moses ;  and  the  Rabbinists,  who  add  to  the  law  the  traditions 
and  comments  of  the  Talmud. 

The  capture  of  Jerusalem  by  Titus,  and  the  first  dis- 
persion of  the  Jews  after  the  advent  of  Christ,  occurred 
A.  D.  70.  From  that  day  till  the  present  they  have  wan- 
dered over  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  and  have  existed 
in  many  countries  under  various  circumstances.  They  still 
look  for  the  advent  and  appearance  of  the  promised  Mes- 
siah. The  fact  that  their  ancestors  were  the  persons  who 
inflicted  deatb  apon  Christ,  has  made  them  the  subjects  of 
unjust  persecution  in  almost  all  Christian  countries ;  and 
nowhere  do  they  enjoy  the  same  degree  of  religious  free- 
dom and  the  just  and  inalienable  rights  of  man,  so  fully 
and  impartially  as  in  the  United  States. 

The  first  Jews  who  ever  existed  in  this  country  became 
residents  of  New  York,  then  called  New  Amsterdam,  about 
the  year  1660.  They  were  Portuguese  and  Spanish  Jews, 
who  had  fled  in  the  first  instance  from  the  cruelties  of  the 
Inquisition,  in  their  native  country,  to  the  comparative 
security  of  the  Batavian  Republic ;  and  there  becoming 
acquainted  with  the  greater  benefits  of  a  residence  in  the 
United  States,  removed  afterwards  to  New  York.  They 
gradually  increased,  and  eventually  built  a  small  syna- 
gogue for  themselves.  Several  generations  elapsed  before 
they  attained  to  any  great  numbers,  for  till  1827  one  place 
of  w  •  rship  sufficed  for  all  their  community.  At  that  time 
a  second  building  was  erected.  At  present  the  city  of 
New  York  contains  the  largest  Jewish  community  which 
exists  in  this  country,  and  ten  synagogues  are  necessary  for 
their  use.  They  there  number  about  ten  thousand  persons ; 
and  particular  localities,  such  as  Chatham  street,  are  in  a 
great  measure  occupied  by  them,  c "-chef  as  residences  or 
places  of  business. 

After  New  York,  one  of  the  oldest  Jewish  communities 
which  exist  in  this  country  was  assembled  in  Newport, 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  147 

Rhode  Island,  where  there  are  still  a  synagogue  and  a 
burying  ground.  About  the  same  period  (1780)  the  first 
Jews  began  to  settle  in  Philadelphia,  and  in  several  places 
in  Maryland  and  Virginia.  Only  one  State  in  the  con- 
federacy is  tyrannical  enough  to  withhold  the  fullest  re- 
ligious freedom  and  equality  from  Israelites,  and  that  is 
one  of  the  poorest  and  the  least  enlightened  of  them.  In 
North  Carolina  the  Constitution  of  the  State  forbids  Jews 
the  privileges  of  citizens,  and  to  some  extent  restricts 
their  worship. 

In  the  United  States  the  Jewish  congregations  are  not 
governed  by  the  same  regulations,  nor  by  the  same  eccle- 
siastical authorities,  that  prevail  in  Europe.  There  are  in 
reality  no  Rabbis  in  this  country,  though  the  title  is  some- 
times given  by  way  of  compliment.  Each  congregation  is  in 
a  great  measure  free,  makes  its  own  rules  and  regulations, 
chooses  its  own  minister,  and  his  ordination  consists  in 
his  election  and  induction  into  office,  without  any  other 
ceremony.  The  Jews  have  no  literary  institutions  here, 
devoted  to  the  giving  of  instructions  to  their  peculiar 
tenets.  But  they  have  several  charitable  establishments, 
which  are  liberally  endowed.  They  have  a  religious  peri- 
odical called  the  Occident  and  American  Jewish  Advocate. 

In  Europe  many  of  the  most  eminent  persons  in  modern 
times,  in  various  departments  of  intellectual  labor,  have 
been  Jews.  In  the  German  Universities  some  of  the  most 
learned  of  their  linguists  are  members  of  this  community. 
The  celebrated  church  historian,  Neander,  was  a  Jew  by 
birth,  though  he  afterwards  became  a  Christian.  With 
the  eminence  of  the  Rothschilds  in  the  department  of 
finance,  every  one  is  familiar.  The  Jews  of  all  classes  are 
generally  well  read  in  the  Hebrew  language,  and  many  of 
them  in  Hebrew  literature.  Prominent  among  their  theo- 
logical writings  is  the  Talmud,  already  referred  to.  This 
is  in  substance  a  collection  of  doctrines  and  moral  pre- 
cepts. There  are  two  works  which  bear  this  name,  the 
"Talmud  of  Jerusalem,"  and  the  "Talmud  of  Babylon." 
The  former  is  more  ancient,  but  it  is  shorter  and  more  ob- 


148  HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

scure  that  the  latter,  which  is  clearer,  more  extensive, 
and  is  generally  more  highly  valued  by  the  Jews. 

As  an  illustration  of  the  horrible  cruelties  to  which 
these  people  have  been  subjected  even  in  recent  times,  we 
may  adduce  the  following  instances :  Dr.  Grant  relates 
that,  during  his  residence  at  Ooroomiah,  in  Persia,  in 
1840,  a  Jew  was  publicly  burnt  to  death  in  that  city,  by 
order  of  the  Governor,  on  the  charge  of  killing  the  child- 
ren of  the  Gentiles  to  obtain  their  blood  to  mingle  with 
the  bread  of  the  Passover.  Naphtha  was  poured  over  the 
body  of  the  poor  wretch,  and  the  torch  applied.  He  was 
instantly  enveloped  in  flames,  and  died  in  the  greatest 
agonies.  In  Meshed,  another  city  of  Persia,  the  same  ac- 
cusation was  preferred  against  the  Jews  who  resided  at 
that  place  in  1839,  in  consequence  of  the  mysterious  dis- 
appearance of  a  Mahometan  child.  The  inhabitants  re- 
solved upon  the  entire  extirpation  of  the  Jews  in  the 
place.  The  massacre  began,  and  fifteen  of  them  were 
slain.  The  rest,  to  avoid  the  same  fate,  embraced  the  al- 
ternative offered  them  of  becoming  Mahometans — with 
how  much  sincerity  or  admiration  for  their  new  faith,  may 
readily  be  conceived. 

The  number  of  Jews  throughout  the  world  is  not  far 
from  five  millions.  In  the  United  States  they  do  not  ex- 
ceed seventy  thousand.  They  have  synagogues  in  New 
York,  Philadelphia,  Newport,  Charleston,  Baltimore, 
Wheeling,  Savannah,  New  Orleans,  Cincinnati,  St.  Louis, 
and  a  few  other  places.  There  are  a  million  of  them  in 
Poland  and  Russia  ;  half  a  million  in  Austria;  a  million 
in  the  Barbary  States ;  and  other  large  communities  exist 
in  the  chief  countries  in  Europe.  It  is  a  curious  circum* 
stance  that  the  Catholic  inhabitants  of  Spain  and  Portugal, 
who  formerly  persecuted  the  Jews  with  such  horrid  bar- 
barity, are  themselves  the  descendants  of  Jews,  of  those 
colonies  which  went  forth  from  Palestine  in  the  reign  of 
Solomon,  and  paid  tribute  to  that  monarch. 

The  religious  belief  of  the  Orthodox  Jews  does  not 
change.  It  may  be  stated  as  follows,  in  the  language  of 


HISTORY   OF  ALL  KELIGIONS.  149 

the  creed,  which  was  drawn  up  f:r  their  us?  by  Maimoni- 
des,  an  illustrious  Rabbi,  whs  ived  in  the  eleventh 
century : 

"  I.  I  believe,  with  a  true  and  perfect  faith,  that  God 
is  the  Creator,  whose  name  be  blessed,  Governor  and 
Maker  of  all  creatures,  and  that  he  hath  wrought  all 
things,  worketh,  and  shall  work  forever. 

"  II.  I  believe,  with  a  perfect  faith,  that  the  Creator, 
whose  name  be  blessed,  is  one,  and  that  suci  a  unity  as  is  in 
him  can  be  found  in  none  other,  and  that  he  alone  hath 
been  our  God,  is,  and  forever  shall  be. 

"  III.  I  believe,  with  a  perfect  faith,  that  the  Creator, 
whose  name  be  blessed,  is  not  corporeal,  nor  to  be  compre- 
hended with  any  bodily  property,  and  that  there  is  no 
bodily  essence  that  can  be  likened  unto  him. 

"  IV.  I  believe,  with  a  perfect  faith,  the  Creator,  whose 
name  be  blessed,  to  be  the  first  and  the  last,  that  nothing 
was  before  him,  and  that  he  shall  abide  the  last  forever. 

"  V.  I  believe,  with  a  perfect  faith,  that  the  Creator, 
whose  name  be  blessed,  is  to  be  worshiped,  and  none  else. 

"  VI.  I  believe,  with  a  perfect  faith,  that  all  the  words 
of  the  prophets  are  true. 

"  VII.  I  believe,  with  a  perfect  faith,  the  prophecies  of 
Moses,  our  master — may  he  rest  in  peace — that  he  was 
the  father  and  chief  of  all  wise  men  that  lived  before  him, 
or  ever  shall  live  after  him. 

"  VIII.  I  believe  that  the  law  was  given  by  Moses. 

"  IX.  I  believe  that  the  law  shall  never  be  altered,  and 
that  God  will  give  no  other.  * 

"  X.  I  believe  that  God  knows  all  the  thoughts  and  ac- 
tions of  men. 

"  XI.  I  believe  that  God  will  regard  the  works  of  all 
those  who  perform  what  he  commands,  and  that  he  will 
punish  those  who  have  transgressed  his  laws. 

"  XII.  I  believe  that  the  Messiah  is  yet  to  come,  though 
Ls  tarry  a  long  time. 

"XIII.  I  believe  that  there  will  be  a  resurrection  of  the 
dead,  at  the  time  when  God  shall  see  fit/' 


150  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

This  is  the  doctrinal  belief  of  what  are  now  termed  the 
Orthodox,  or  Conservative  Jews.  In  recent  times  there 
has  arisen  a  new  school  among  them,  who  are  termed  Pro- 
gressive, or  Rationalistic,  who  differ  in  some  of  their  senti- 
ments from  the  other  portion  of  the  Jewish  community. 

ENGLISH  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS. 

THE  doctrine  that  the  seventh  day  of  the  week,  and  no* 
the  first  day,  is  the  true  Sabbath  of  the  Christian  Church, 
has  been  entertained  by  many  eminent  divines,  in  various 
countries ;  but  there  are  only  two  denominations  who  make 
that  doctrine  the  peculiar  and  distinctive  characteristic  of 
their  sect.  These  are  the  English  and  the  German  Sev- 
enth Day  Baptists. 

The  former  of  these  arose  in  England  about  the  year 
1650.  At  that  time,  or  soon  after,  there  were  some  eight 
or  ten  small  congregations  of  them  existing  in  that  coun- 
try. They  were  obscure,  and  of  little  importance.  Promi- 
nent among  their  members  was  a  preacher  named  Edward 
Stennet,  who  was  persecuted  by  the  authorities  for  his  re- 
ligious belief.  The  "  Conventicle  Act,"  which  was  then 
in  full  force,  prevented  these  people  even  from  holding  any 
kind  of  religious  worship  in  accordance  with  their  peculiar 
views.  Another  of  their  preachers,  Joseph  Davis,  was 
imprisoned  for  a  long  time.  Francis  Bawfield  was  in  jail 
eight  years,  during  the  reign  of  Charles  II.,  and  eventu- 
ally died  in  prison,  on  account  of  his  attachment  to  prin- 
ciples which  were  in  opposition  to  those  inculcated  by  a 
luxurious,  pampered,  hypocritical,  and  worldly  Church. 

In  1665,  the  first  Seventh  Day  Baptists  arrived  in  this 
country  from  England.  They  were  led  by  Stephen  Muni- 
ford,  and  settled  at  Newport,  Rhode  Island.  But  here 
also  they  were  called  on  to  endure  some  persecution  in 
consequence  of  their  conscientious  scruples  in  observing 
the  first  day  of  the  week  as  the  Christian  Sabbath.  The 
sect  slowly  spread  into  Connecticut,  New  Jersey,  and  New 
York.  At  the  present  time  they  exist  in  many  of  the 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  151 

States,  in  small  numbers ;  and  they  have  about  fifty  con- 
gregations, forty  ministers,  and  seven  thousand  communi- 
cants, in  the  United  States.  They  are  divided  into  four 
associations — an  Eastern,  a  Central,  a  Western,  and  a 
South- Western.  They  have  an  Annual  Conference,  com- 
posed of  delegates  from  these  four  associations ;  yet  they 
are  Congregational  in  their  Church  government — each  So- 
ciety being  in  reality  perfectly  independent  in  the  control 
of  its  private  and  individual  affairs.  The  officers  of  their 
churches  are  pastors  and  deacons ;  the  latter  of  whom  are 
chosen  for  life.  They  have  a  Literary  Institution  at  De 
Buyter,  established  in  183T ;  also  an  Academy  at  Alfred, 
in  New  York.  In  proportion  to  their  numbers  and  means, 
they  are  an  active  and  enterprizing  sect.  They  are  re- 
garded as  orthodox,  entertaining  the  doctrine  of  the  Trin- 
ity, man's  total  depravity,  the  vicarious  atonement,  &c. 
But  their  main  distinctive  doctrine  is  their  strict  obser- 
vance of  the  Seventh  day,  or  Saturday,  as  the  Lord's  Day. 
In  support  of  this  usage  and  belief  they  urge  some  very 
plausible  arguments,  of  which  the  following  are  a  specimen. 
They  assert  that  the  Seventh  day  of  the  week  having  been 
expressly  set  apart  as  the  Sabbath,  by  God,  immediately 
after  the  Creation,  and  it  being  expressly  enjoined  by  the 
fourth  commandment,  some  very  clear  injunction  of  Scrip- 
ture is  requisite  to  justify  the  change  to  the  first  day  of 
the  week ;  and  that  no  such  injunction  exists.  On  the 
contrary,  Christ  directly  taught  that  "the  Sabbath  was 
made  for  man,"  meaning  thereby  the  Sabbath  which  was 
then  in  use  by  the  Jews,  to  whom  he  spoke.  He  also  told 
his  disciples  to  pray  that  "  their  flight  be  not  in  the  win- 
ter, neither  on  the  Sabbath  day,"  which  necessarily  meant 
the  Seventh  day.  And  the  Psalmist  declares :  "  All  his 
commandments  are  sure;  they  stand  fast  for  ever."  In 
regard  to  the  argument  that  Christ  rose  from  the  dead  on 
the  first  day  of  the  week,  they  answer,  that  he  died  on 
Friday,  thus  effecting  the  atonement  on  that  day :  and 
that,  if  such  an  argument  should  have  any  weight,  it 
would  give  Friday  a  greater  claim  to  being  observed  as 


152  HISTORY   OP  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

the  Sabbath  than  the  Monday.  It  is  true,  Paul  says,  in 
his  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians  :  "On  the  first  day  of 
the  week  let  every  one  lay  by  him  in  store,"  &c. ;  but,  say 
they,  this  injunction  did  not  require  the  early  Christians 
to  meet  on  that  day  for  public  worship,  and  says  nothing 
about  the  change  of  the  Sabbath  day.  The  Holy  Spirit 
descended,  as  is  supposed,  on  the  first  day  of  the  week ; 
but  there  is  no  proof  that  Pentecost  was  on  that  day  of 
the  week.  Paul  preached  to  Lydia  and  her  household  on 
the  Seventh  day.  At  Ephesus,  he  went  into  the  syna- 

fogue  and  preached  and  reasoned  with  the  Jews  on  the 
eventh  day ;  and  he  did  the  same  thing  at  Thessalonica, 
three  Sabbath  days  in   succession.     Certainly  the  Jews 
were  not  observing  the  first  day  of  the  week  as  their  Sab- 
bath. 


ANTINOMIANS. 

THESE  derive  their  name  from  Greek  words,  meaning 
against  the  law.  In  the  sixteenth  century,  while  Luther  was 
eagerly  employed  in  censuring  and  refuting  the  Popish 
doctors,  who  mixed  the  law  and  gospel  together,  and  repre- 
sented eternal  happiness  as  the  fruit  of  legal  obedience,  a 
new  teacher  arose  whose  name  was  John  Agricola,  a  na- 
tive of  Aisteben,  and  an  eminent  doctor  in  the  Lutheran 
church.  His  fame  began  to  spread  in  the  year  1538, 
when  from  the  doctrine  of  Luther,  now  mentioned,  he 
took  occasion  to  advance  sentiments  which  were  interpreted 
in  such  a  manner,  that  his  followers  were  distinguished  by 
the  title  of  Antinomians. 

The  principal  doctrines  which  bear  this  appellation,  to- 
gether with  a  short  specimen  of  the  arguments  made  use 
of  in  their  defence,  are  comprehended  in  the  following 
summary : 

I.  That  the  law  ought  not  to  be  proposed  to  the  people 
as  a  rule  of  manners,  nor  useful  in  the  church  as  a  means 
of  instruction ;  and  that  the  gospel  alone  was  to  be  incul- 


HISTORY  OP  ALL  KELIGIONS.          153 

cated   and  explained,  both  in  the  churches  and  in  the 
schools  of  learning. 

For  the  scriptures  declare,  that  Christ  is  not  the  law- 
giver, as  it  is  said,  "The  law  was  given  by  Moses;  but 
grace  and  truth  came  by  Jesus  Christ."  Therefore  the 
ministers  of  the  gospel  ought  not  to  teach  the  law.  Chris- 
tians are  not  ruled  by  the  law,  but  by  the  spirit  of  regene- 
ration, according  as  it  is  said,  "Ye  are  not  under  the  law, 
but  under  grace."  Therefore  the  law  ought  not  to  be 
taught  in  the  church  of  Christ. 

II.  That  the  justification  of  sinners,  is  an  immanent 
and  eternal  act  of  God,  not  only  preceding  all  acts  of  sin, 
but  the  existence  of  the  sinner  himself. 

For  nothing  new  can  arise  in  God,  on  which  account  he 
calls  things  that  are  not  as  though  they  were ;  and  the 
apostle  saith,  "Who  hath  blessed  us  with  all  spiritual  bles- 
sings in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus,  before  the  foun- 
dation of  the  world."  Besides,  Christ  was  set  up  from 
everlasting,  not  only  as  the  head  of  the  church,  but  as  the 
surety  of  his  people ;  by  virtue  of  which  engagement  the 
Father  decreed  never  to  impute  unto  them  their  sins.  See 
2d  of  Cor.  iv.  19. 

III.  That  justification  by  faith  is  no  more  than  a  mani- 
festation to  us  of  what  was  done  before  we  had  a  being. 

For  it  is  thus  expressed  in  Hebrews  xi.  1.  "Now  faith  is 
the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  the  evidence  of  things 
not  seen."  We  are  justified  only  by  Christ;  but  by  faith 
we  perceive  it,  and  by  faith  rejoice  in  it,  as  we  apprehend 
it  to  be  our  own. 

IV.  That  men  ought  not  to  doubt  of  their  faith,  nor 
question  whether  they  believe  in  Christ. 

For,  we  are  commanded  to  "  draw  near  in  full  assurance 
of  faith."  Heb.  x.  22.  "He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of 
God  hath  the  witness  in  himself."  2d  of  John  v.  10,  i.  e.f 
he  has  as  much  evidence  as  can  be  desired. 

V.  That  God  sees  no  sin  in  believers,  and  they  are  not 
bound  to  confess  sin,  mourn  for  it,  or  pray  that  it  may  bf 
forgiven. 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

For  God  lias  declared,  Heb.  x.  17.  "  Their  sins  and 
iniquities  I  will  remember  no  more :"  and  in  Jer.  1.  20, 
"In  those  days,  and  in  that  time,  saith  the  Lord,  the  ini- 
quity of  Israel  shall  be  sought  for,  and  there  shall  be  none ; 
and  the  sins  of  Judah,  and  they  shall  not  be  found :  for  I 
pardon  them  whom  I  reserve." 

VI.  That  God  is  not  angry  with  the  elect,  nor  doth  he 
punish  them  for  their  sins. 

For  Christ  has  made  ample  satisfaction  for  their  sins. 
See  Isaiah  liii.  5.  "  He  was  wounded  for  our  transgres- 
sions, he  was  bruised  for  our  iniquities,"  &c.  And  to  in- 
flict punishment  once  upon  the  Surety,  and  again  upon  the 
believer,  is  contrary  to  the  justice  of  God,  as  well  as  dero- 
gatory to  the  satisfaction  of  Christ. 

VII.  That  by  God's  laying  our  iniquities  upon  Christ, 
he  became  as  completely  sinful  as  we,  and  we  as  completely 
righteous  as  Christ. 

For  Christ  represents  our  persons  to  the  Father ;  and  we 
represent  the  person  of  Christ  to  him.  The  loveliness  of 
Christ  is  transferred  to  us ;  on  the  other  hand,  all  that  is 
hateful  in  our  nature  is  put  upon  Christ,  who  was  forsaken 
by  the  Father  for  a  time.  See  2d  of  Cor.  v.  21.  "  He  was 
made  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin ;  that  we  might  be  made 
the  righteousness  of  God  in  him." 

VIII.  That  believers  need  not  fear  either  their  own 
sins  or  the  sins  of  others,  since  neither  can  do  them  any 
injury. 

See  Rom.  viii.  33,  34.  "  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to 
the  charge  of  God's  elect?"  &c.  The  apostle  does  not  say 
that  they  never  transgress  ;  but  triumphs  in  the  thought 
that  no  curse  can  be  executed  against  them. 

IX.  That  the  new  covenant  is  not  made  properly  with 
us,  but  with  Christ  for  us ;  and  that  this  covenant  is  all  of 
it  a  promise,  having  no  conditions  for  us  to  perform ;  for 
faith,  repentance,  and  obedience,  are  not  conditions  on 
our  part,  but  Christ's ;  and  he  repented,  believed,  and 
obeyed  for  us. 

For  the  covenant  is  so  expressed,  that  the  performance 


HISTORY  OF   ALL  RELIGIONS.  155 

lies  upon  the  Deity  himself,  "  For  this  is  the  covenant  that 
I  will  make  with  the  house  of  Israel  after  those  days,  saith 
the  Lord ;  I  will  put  my  laws  into  their  mind,  and  write 
them  in  their  hearts  ;  and  I  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and 
they  shall  be  to  me  a  people." 

X.  That  sanctification  is  not  a  proper  evidence  of  jus- 
tification. 

For  those  who  endeavor  to  evidence  their  justification 
by  their  sanctification,  are  looking  to  their  own  attain- 
ments and  not  to  Christ's  righteousness  for  hopes  of  sal- 
vation. 

OLD  SCHOOL  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

BOTH  branches  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the 
United  States  dorive  their  origin  historically  from  the  Re- 
formed Church  of  Scotland,  whose  chief  founder  and  most 
eminent  leader  was  John  Knox.  It  is  usual  to  attribute 
the  first  preaching  of  the  Protestant  doctrines  in  Scotland 
to  Knox ;  but  this  is  an  error.  The  person  who,  prior  to 
all  others,  proclaimed  the  new  system  of  belief  in  that 
country,  was  Patric  Hamilton,  a  friend  and  pupil  of  Luther, 
who,  after  his  return  from  Wittemberg,  preached  the 
opinions  which  he  had  learned  in  Germany,  to  his  coun- 
trymen, and  was  rewarded  for  his  zeal  by  martyrdom,  in 
1528.  Among  the  few  followers  whom  he  had  acquired 
was  Wishart,  who  pursued  the  same  career  and  met  the 
same  end.  After  him  came  John  Knox,  who  carried  on 
the  work  of  Reformation  with  greater  ability  and  zeal  than 
any  of  his  predecessors,  and  eventually  succeeded  in  con- 
verting to  the  new  faith  a  very  large  majority  of  the 
Scottish  people  from  the  Church  of  Rome. 

Knox  was  born  in  Haddington,  in  1505.  His  family, 
though  not  belonging  to  the  nobility,  was  wealthy  and  re- 
spectable. He  was  educated  at  the  University  of  Glasgow, 
and  distinguished  himself  by  his  superior  attainments  and 
abilities.  He  soon  after  entered  the  priesthood  of  the 
Catholic  Church,  and  being  of  a  pious  turn  of  mind,  he 


156  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

endeavored  to  discharge  the  duties  of  his  office  faithfully, 
and  to  accomplish  some  good. 

At  that  time  a  priest  who  displayed  such  a  temper  in 
Scotland  was  a  phenomenon  of  rare  occurrence.  The  hold 
and  earnest  preaching  of  Wishart  converted  Knox  to  the 
Protestant  doctrine  in  the  thirty-seventh  year  of  his  age, 
and  he  withdrew  from  the  priesthood  and  all  his  ecclesias- 
tical relations.  But  at  first  he  seemed  to  have  no  aspira- 
tions after  the  career  of  fame  of  a  Reformer,  for  he  settled 
himself  down  into  the  quiet  and  ohscure  situation  of  tutor 
to  the  sons  of  a  nohleman.  He  was  drawn  from  this  re- 
tirement by  the  eloquence  of  Wishart,  who  appreciated 
the  great  qualities  of  Knox  at  their  real  value,  and  labored 
to  call  them  forth  into  active  service  in  the  Protestant 
cause.  Knox  first  accompanied  Wishart,  in  his  preaching 
tours  through  the  country,  and  at  length  undertook  to 
preach  the  doctrine  which  he  had  espoused. 

The  most  active  and  dangerous  enemy  of  the  Reforma- 
tion at  that  time  in  Scotland  was  Cardinal  Beaton.  He 
succeeded  in  destroying  Wishart,  but  was  himself  shortly 
afterward  assassinated  by  a  band  of  young  men  who  were 
attached  to  the  new  faith.  Persecution  thickened  around 
Knox  and  his  associates.  They  took  refuge  in  a  castle 
near  the  city  of  St.  Andrews,  in  which  they  were  besieged 
for  many  months,  and  finally  captured.  Knox  was  pun- 
ished by  imprisonment  in  the  galleys,  and  this  degraded 
and  revolting  penalty  he  endured  for  the  period  of  three 
years  and  a  half.  On  his  release  he  fled  to  England,  over 
which  country  the  pious  Edward  then  reigned.  The 
young  King  properly  appreciated  the  merits  of  the  Re- 
former, and  appointed  him  one  of  the  preachers  to  the 
Court.  A  still  higher  preferment  in  the  English  Church 
was  offered  him,  but  he  declined  it.  From  London  he  re- 
moved to  Berwick,  and  there  he  preached  and  labored 
actively  during  two  years.  At  the  death  of  Edward,  how- 
ever, he  was  compelled  to  flee.  Scotland  was  governed 
by  French  influence ;  a  female  monarch,  devotedly  attached 
to  the  Catholic  Church,  ruled  in  England;  and  Knox 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  157 

could  find  no  safe  retreat  except  at  Geneva,  on  the  free 
soil,  and  amid  the  mountain  solitudes  of  Switzerland. 

Several  years  were  spent  by  Knox  in  this  retreat, 
which  he  employed  industriously  in  receiving  instruction 
from  Calvin,  both  as  to  the  true  doctrines  of  the  Christian 
faith  and  in  regard  to  the  proper  form  and  model  of  the 
government  of  the  church.  As  is  well  known,  Calvin  had 
established  a  church  at  Geneva,  which  he  believed  to  be 
arranged  and  governed  precisely  as  were  the  churches  of 
the  apostolic  era.  Knox  approved  of  Calvin's  views  in 
every  respect,  and  when  he  returned  to  Scotland  he  was 
not  only  a  thorough  convert  to  all  of  Calvin's  doctrinal 
opinions,  but  an  earnest  defender  of  the  Presbyterial  form 
of  church  government,  in  opposition  to  the  Episcopal  or 
Prelatical  form. 

Knox  returned  to  Scotland  in  1555.  During  his  ab- 
sence the  Reformation  had  made  some  progress,  and  he 
found  the  state  of  affairs  favorable  to  the  continuance  of 
the  work.  He  immediately  commenced  to  preach  and 
labor  with  great  zeal.  He  first  proposed  that  all  those 
who  were  opposed  to  the  Romish  Church  should  take  an 
oath  never  again  to  attend  the  celebration  of  mass.  This 
was  a  bold  measure,  and  Knox  was  cited  to  appear  before 
the  Bishop's  Court,  at  Edinburgh,  to  answer  for  his  con- 
duct. Ten  years  before,  Wishart  had  been  burnt  in  per- 
son for  a  similar  offence.  On  this  occasion,  so  different 
had  the  state  of  affairs  become,  that  Knox  was  condemned 
merely  to  be  burnt  in  effigy.  Undismayed  by  this  penalty, 
Knox  drew  up  his  celebrated  "  Petition  to  the  Queen  Re- 
gent" desiring  to  be  heard  in  the  defence  of  himself,  and 
assailing  the  Church  of  Rome  with  great  boldness  and 
severity.  The  effect  of  this  measure  eventually  was  that 
Knox  was  compelled  once  more  to  flee  for  his  life,  and 
once  more  he  took  refuge  in  the  welcome  haven  of  Geneva. 

He  remained  there  till  May,  1559,  when  he  returned 
for  the  last  time  to  Scotland,  and  resumed  his  work  with 
greater  boldness  and  resolution  than  ever.  He  was  then 
fifty-four  years  of  age,  small  in  person,  wearing  a  long 


158  HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

beard,  which  reached  nearly  to  his  waist.  His  massive 
brow  and  large,  piercing  eye,  indicated  his  superior  men- 
tal capacity.  His  preaching  is  represented  as  having 
been  effective  and  powerful,  and  as  making  a  prodigious 
impression  upon  the  minds  of  his  hearers.  He  held  forth 
at  Perth  and  at  various  other  places  in  the  kingdom,  and 
soon  all  Scotland  was  in  a  blaze  of  religious  excitement 
and  enthusiasm. 

The  worst  enemy  with  whom  Knox  had  to  contend  was 
Mary,  the  beautiful  and  unfortunate  Queen  of  Scotland. 
It  is  said  that  in  his  interviews  with  her  he  spoke  with 
such  severity  and  rudeness  as  to  cause  her  to  shed  tears. 
He  was  no  respecter  of  persons,  and  proclaimed  his  mes- 
sage with  the  same  spirit  in  the  palace  and  the  hovel. 
Thus  he  continued  to  preach  and  labor  till  1572,  when  his 
life  ended ;  but  he  had  lived  long  enough  to  secure  the 
prevalence  of  the  Protestant  religion  throughout  Scotland, 
and  the  final  and  total  overthrow  of  the  Church  of  Rome. 
He  left  the  Presbyterian  Church  as  it  now  exists,  both  in 
doctrine  and  government,  the  dominant,  religious,  or 
ecclesiastical  power  in  his  native  land. 

An  attempt  was  made  by  James  VI.,  afterward  James 
I.  of  England,  to  overthrow  the  Presbyterian  influence  in 
Scotland,  by  substituting  in  its  place  the  Episcopal  Church. 
He  procured  the  appointment  of  bishops,  and  the  introduc- 
tion of  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  Church  of  England, 
and  the  abolition  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Scotch 
Kirk.  Charles  L,  acting  under  the  advice  of  Archbishop 
Laud,  endeavored  to  complete  the  work  which  his  father 
had  begun,  by  enacting  other  measures  of  violence  and 
usurpation.  But  the  Scottish  people  resisted  his  measures, 
and  in  1638,  they  abolished  the  modified  form  of  Episco- 
pacy which  had  been  introduced ;  the  General  Assembly 
again  convened,  and  Presbyterian  doctrine  and  discipline 
once  more  became  the  recognized  religion  of  the  nation. 
This  continued  till  1660,  when,  during  the  reign  and  after 
the  restoration  of  Charles  II.,  his  profligate  government 
endeavored  again  to  subvert  Presbyterianism.  It  was  not, 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS-  159 

however,  till  1688,  when  the  Revolution  placed  William 
of  Orange  and  Mary  on  the  throne  of  England,  that  per- 
fect religious  liberty  was  granted  to  the  Scotch  people. 
From  that  period  Presbyteriaiiism  became  the  religion  of 
the  great  masses  of  the  people,  and  that  also  which  was 
established  by  law.  It  has  remained  the  same  till  this 
day;  and  although  during  the  last  century-and-a-half 
there  have  been  many  ecclesiastical  conflicts  and  disturb- 
ances in  Scotland,  they  have  been  always  between  the 
members  of  the  Scotch  Church  themselves. 

These  conflicts,  which  have  been  numerous,  have  often 
resulted  in  the  forming  of  new  sects,  all  of  whom  claim  to 
be  the  true  and  pure  Presbyterian  Church — such  as  the 
Seceders,  the  Covenanters,  the  Burghers,  and  the  anti- 
Burghers,  the  Old  and  New  Light  Burghers,  the  Reformed 
Presbyterian,  and  the  Free  Church  of  Scotland.  In  all 
these  divisions  and  subdivisions  the  inherent  weakness  of 
the  Scotch  people  to  contend  furiously  for  the  most  trifling 
and  insignificant  differences  of  doctrine,  displayed  itself; 
and  the  same  peculiarity  has  been  exhibited  in  the  history 
of  the  Presbyterians  in  this  country,  who  have  had 
many  controversies  upon  doctrinal  subjects  and  other 
matters  pertaining  to  church  government  and  disci- 
pline. 

The  founders  of  Presbyterianism  in  the  United  States 
were  immigrants  from  Scotland  and  the  North  of  Ireland. 
The  first  Presbyterian  Church  which  ever  existed  in  this 
country,  was  organized  in  Philadelphia  about  the  close  of 
the  seventeenth  century.  Other  churches  soon  sprang  up 
around  it ;  and  in  1706  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia 
was  formed,  consisting  of  seven  clergymen.  Francis  Mc- 
Kemie  was  the  first  Presbyterian  preacher  who  ever  held 
forth  in  the  Colonies.  The  first  pastor  of  the  first  Pres- 
byterian Church  in  this  city  was  Jedediah  Andrews,  a 
native  of  New  England.  In  1710,  there  were  also  one 
Presbyterian  congregation  in  Virginia,  four  in  Maryland, 
five  in  Pennsylvania,  in  Jersey  two,  with  a  few  scattered 
members  in  New  York.  From  this  time  the  denomination 


160  HISTORY    OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

rapidly  increased,  by  the  growth  of  their  native  popula- 
tion, and  by  constant  immigration  from  Scotland,  and  the 
north  of  Ireland.  Certain  influential  members  wrote  to 
the  Synod  of  Glasgow,  to  the  Presbytery  of  Dublin,  and 
to  the  Independents  of  London,  for  a  supply  of  ministers. 
This  appeal  resulted  in  obtaining  what  was  desired.  So 
much  did  the  denomination  increase  in  a  short  time,  that 
in  1716,  the  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  found  it  desirable 
to  divide  itself  into  four  subordinate  presbyteries,  and  to 
assume  the  name  and  the  functions  of  a  Synod.  It  was 
composed  at  this  period  of  thirteen  ministers  and  six 
elders.  In  1718,  the  celebrated  William  Tennent  left  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  and  joined  the  Presbyterian. 
He  afterward  became  one  of  the  most  distinguished  and 
eloquent  preachers  who  have  ever  flourished  in  this  coun- 
try. He  set  forth  his  reasons  for  his  change  in  a  clear 
and  condensed  manner ;  and  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia, 
of  which  he  became  a  member,  ordered  the  document  to 
be  filed.  As  it  is  a  production  of  some  interest,  we  here 
insert  it : 

"  The  reasons  of  William  Tennent  for  his  dissenting 
from  the  Established  Church  in  Ireland,  delivered  by  him 
to  the  Synod  held  at  Philadelphia,  September  17,  1718 : 
1.  Their  government  by  bishops,  archbishops,  deans,  chan- 
cellors, and  vicars,  is  wholly  unscriptural.  2.  Their  dis- 
cipline by  surrogates  and  chancellors  in  their  courts  eccles- 
iastic, is  without  a  foundation  in  the  word  of  God.  3.  Their 
abuse  of  that  supposed  discipline  by  commutation.  4.  A 
diocesan  bishop  cannot  be  founded,  jure  divino,  upon 
Paul's  epistles  to  Timothy  or  Titus,  nor  anywhere  else  in 
the  word  of  God,  and  so  is  a  mere  human  invention. 
5.  The  usurped  power  of  the  bishops  at  their  yearly  visi- 
tations, acting  all  of  themselves,  without  consent  of  the 
brethren.  6.  Pluralities  of  benefices.  7.  The  churches 
conniving  at  the  practice  of  Arminian  doctrines  inconsis- 
tent with  the  eternal  purpose  of  God,  and  an  encourage- 
ment to  vice.  Besides,  I  could  not  be  satisfied  with  their 
ceremonial  way  of  worship.  Those  have  so  affected  my 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  161 

conscience,  that   I  could  no   longer  abide  in  a  Church 
where  the  same  are  practised. 

WILLIAM  TENNENT." 

» 

Prior  to  the  Revolution,  the  Presbyterian  churches  con- 
tinued to  increase  by  a  gradual  process,  throughout  many 
of  the  original  thirteen  States ;  arid  with  the  formation  of 
new  churches,  presbyteries  and  synods  were  established, 
which  held  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  over  them.  In  Vir- 
ginia, they  were  much  persecuted  by  the  Episcopalians, 
who  went  so  far,  in  1618,  as  to  enact  by  their  House  of 
Burgesses,  that  if  any  person  came  within  the  colony,  and 
claimed  to  be  a  clergyman,  and  attempted  to  preach  or 
perform  any  other  clerical  duty,  without  being  able  to 
show  a  testimonial  that  he  had  been  ordained  by  an  En- 
glish diocesan  bishop,  he  was  to  be  expelled  from  the  limits 
of  the  colony.  By  the  operation  of  this  law  the  Presbyte- 
rian clergy  were  entirely  excluded  from  Virginia  for  a 
long  series  of  years. 

When  the  Revolution  broke  out,  many  of  the  most  emi- 
nent patriots  of  the  era  were  Presbyterians.  Among  these 
were  John  Witherspoon,  who  took  a  prominent  part  in 
securing  the  passage  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  ; 
and  George  Duffield,  who  was  a  chaplain  in  the  Continen- 
tal army.  As  a  body,  the  Presbyterians  contended  for 
the  validity  of  "  a  Church  without  a  bishop,  and  a  State 
without  a  king;"  and  their  Church  government  is  emi- 
nently a  democratic  or  a  republican  one,  by  which  the  laity, 
through  their  representatives,  the  Ruling  Elders,  are  ad- 
mitted to  an  equal  share  of  authority  in  the  various  eccles- 
iastical tribunals  of  the  Church.  Previous  to  the  Revolu- 
tion, a  friendly  correspondence  was  carried  on  between 
this  sect  and  the  Dutch  Reformed,  and  Associate  Reformed 
Synods ;  but  the  most  important  era  in  the  consolidation 
and  prosperity  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  this  country, 
was  at  the  time  of  the  first  convention  of  the  General  As  - 
eembly  of  the  whole  Church,  which  met  in  1789. 

By  the  establishment  of  the  General  Assembly,  all  the 
11 


162  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

Presbyterians  in  the  various  States  were  combined  intc 
one  ecclesiastical  congregation;  a  uniformity  of  discipline 
and  of  doctrine  was  introduced  among  them ;  and  greater  sys- 
tem was  attained  in  carrying  on  their  benevolent  enterprises, 
as  well  as  in  enforcing  discipline.  Among  the  several  insti- 
tutions which  the  Church  established  at  successive  periods, 
were  the  Theological  Seminary  at  Princeton,  N.  J.,  at  a  later 
day,  the  Western  Seminary  at  Allegheny  City,  near  Pitts- 
burgh, and  the  Union  Seminary  in  Prince  Edward  County, 
Virginia ;  while  among  the  colleges  which  are  exclusively 
or  chiefly  under  their  control,  are  Nassau  Hall  at  Prince- 
ton, Jefferson  College  at  Cannonsburg,  La  Fayette  Col- 
lege at  Easton,  the  University  of  Nashville  in  Tennessee, 
and  Centre  College  at  Danville,  Kentucky.  Besides  these, 
there  are  a  Board  of  Education  for  preparing  young  cler- 
gymen for  the  ministry ;  a  Board  of  Publication,  which 
has  already  issued  nearly  a  hundred  and  fifty  standard 
religious  works ;  a  Board  of  Missions,  both  domestic  and 
foreign.  The  latter  has  sent  forth  many  missionaries 
to  various  portions  of  the  earth.  Thus  in  Northern  India, 
there  is  a  Synod  of  American  missionaries  who  are  in 
connection  with  the  Old  School  General  Assembly. 
This  Synod  is  composed  of  several  Presbyteries  which  bear 
eastern  names,  as  the  Presbytery  of  Allahabad,  having 
six  ministers ;  the  Presbytery  of  Ferrukabad,  having  four 
ministers  ;  and  the  Presbytery  of  Lodiana,  with  five  minis- 
ters, besides  the  usual  number  of  elders. 

In  the  year  1830,  the  great  schism  began  which  resulted 
in  the  division  of  the  Presbyterian  body  in  this  country 
into  two  parts,  of  nearly  equal  numbers  and  importance. 
We  will  proceed  to  state  the  chief  doctrines  which  the  Old 
School  entertain.  As  the  opinions  taught  by  this  sect  are 
those  of  an  extremely  Calvinistic  character,  and  are 
somewhat  at  variance  with  those  of  most  other  Chris- 
tians, both  Orthodox  and  Liberal,  we  will  state  them 
at  some  length. 

In  regard  to  the  Divine  nature,  Presbyterians  hold 
views  which  are  universally  termed  Orthodox,  such  as 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  163 

that  God  is  a  spirit,  infinite  in  glory  and  perfection,  in 
power  and  wisdom,  eternal,  unchangeable,  incomprehensi- 
ble, everywhere  present,  just,  merciful,  and  gracious ;  that 
there  is  but  one  true  God,  though  there  are  three  persons 
in  the  Godhead — that  these  three  are  one,  the  same  in 
substance,  equal  in  power  and  glory,  though  distinguished 
by  their  personal  properties.  In  defining  what  the  differ- 
ent properties  of  these  three  Persons  are,  they  answer  that 
it  is  the  function  of  the  Father  to  beget  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Son  to  be  begotten  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  proceed  from  the  Father  and  the  Son  from  all 
eternity.  Yet  these  three  are  perfectly  equal  in  power ; 
all  three  are  equally  eternal,  without  beginning,  and  un- 
created. 

They  believe  and  teach  that  Adam  was  created  per- 
fectly pure  and  holy ;  but  that  he  fell  from  that  estate 
(being  left  to  the  full  freedom  of  his  own  will)  by  eating 
of  the  forbidden  fruit.  That  when  Adam  fell,  all  his 
future  posterity  fell  with  him ;  that  their  naturo  became 
totally  corrupted  and  sinful,  wholly  inclined  to  evil,  and 
incapable  of  doing  or  thinking  a  particle  of  good.  That 
by  this  fall  Adam  and  all  his  posterity  incurred  the  wrath 
and  disfavor  of  Almighty  God,  his  displeasure  and  his 
curse  ;  that  they  became  justly  liable  to  eternal  misery 
hereafter ;  and  that,  if  left  to  themselves,  they  would 
inevitably  suffer  sucli  a  fate. 

In  regard  to  God's  decrees  and  purposes,  they  hold 
that  He  foreordains  from  all  eternity  whatever  comes  to 
pass  ;  and  that, being  omnipotent,  his  decrees  cannot 
be  resisted.  That  He  determined  from  all  eternity  that 
a  portion  of  the  human  family  should  be  made  heirs 
of  salvation,  while  the  rest  should  become  the  recipients 
of  the  eternal  misery  which  their  original  and  actual  sins 
had  deserved.  That  He  has  chosen  an  elect  number  to 
eternal  life ;  and  that,  as  none  can  enter  Heaven  without 
being  holy  and  pure,  the  repentance  and  regeneration  of 
the  elect  are  necessarily  as  certainly  foreordained  by  God, 
as  is  their  final  salvation.  Hence  men  will  repent  or  not 


164  HISTORY  OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

repent,  be  lost  or  saved,  precisely  as  God  has  decreed 
from  all  eternity. 

This  doctrine  is  the  great  bone  of  contention  between 
Calvinists  and  Arminians ;  and  as  commonly  under- 
stood by  a  majority  of  Arminians,  it  seems  harsh  and 
implacable.     It  has  been  maintained  by  some  of  the 
ablest  men  in  the  Christian  Church.     The  decrees  of 
God  are  certainly  mysterious  and  well  calculated  to 
baffle  the  wisest  finite  mind.     And  yet  there  are  pas- 
sages of  Scripture  which  seem  to  teach  this  doctrine 
as  plainly  as  words  could  express  it.     Thus,  for  in- 
stance, Ephesians  i.  4,  5  :    "  According  as  he  hath 
chosen  us  in  him  [Christ]  before  the  foundation  of 
the  world,  that  we  should  be  holy — having  predestinated 
us  unto  the  adoption  of  children,  by  Jesus  Christ,  to  him- 
Belf."     Verse  11  of  the  same  chapter  reads  as  follows: 
"  In  whom  also  we  have  obtained  an  inheritance,  being 
predestinated  according  to  the  purpose  of  him  who  worketh 
all  things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will."     So  also  Ro- 
mans, ix.  18  :  "  Therefore  hath  he  mercy  on  whom  he  will 
have   mercy,   and  whom  he  will   he   hardeneth."     And 
stronger  still  in  Romans,  viii.  30  :  "  Whom  he  did  predes- 
tinate, them  he  also  called ;  and  whom  he  called,  them  he 
also  justified ;  and  whom  he  justified,  them  he  also  glori- 
fied."    Scripture  proofs,  which  are  apparently  so  unan- 
swerable as  these  seem  to  be,  induce  the  members  of  this 
denomination  to  adhere  tenaciously  and  with  great  earn- 
estness to  a  doctrine  which  Orthodox  churches  generally 
condemn,  and  which  liberal  Christians  regard  as  in- 
consistent with  God's  character  and  attributes. 

According  to  the  Presbyterian  doctrine,  God  has 
made  two  covenants  with  the  human  race  :  one  with  Adam, 
which  Adam  broke  and  forfeited ;  another  with  Christ,  and 
in  him  with  all  the  elect  as  his  seed.  The  latter  cove- 
nant is  called  the  covenant  of  grace,  by  which  a  Mediator 
is  provided  for  those  whom  God  has  ordained  to  eternal 
life.  The  covenant  of  grace  was  administered  under  the 
Old  Testament  by  promises,  prophecies,  sacrifices,  circum- 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  165 

cision,  and  other  types  and  ordinances ;  all  of  which  were 
intended  to  represent  the  subsequent  coming  and  suffer- 
ings of  Christ.  Under  the  New  Testament  this  covenant 
is  administered  by  the  sacraments  of  Baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Supper,  the  preaching  of  the  word,  and  the  other 
ordinances  of  Christianity.  That  the  redemption  procured 
by  Christ  might  be  efficacious,  it  was  necessary  that  he 
should  be  both  God  and  man.  The  divine  nature  in  him 
was  necessary  to  sustain  and  keep  the  human  nature  from 
sinking  under  the  infinite  wrath  of  God  and  the  power  of 
death ;  although  his  human  nature  did  finally  sink  under 
that  exorbitant  wrath;  and  it  was  requisite  that  the 
Mediator  should  be  human  in  order  that  he  might  perform 
perfect  obedience  to  the  law,  suffer,  and  make  intercession 
for  men  in  their  own  nature,  and  have  a  fellow-feeling  of 
sympathy  with  mankind. 

PEESBYTEEIAN  REUNION. 

AFTER  the  lapse  of  just  a  quarter  of  a  century,  a 
formal  tender  toward  reconciliation  was  made  by  the 
"  New  School ; "  it  met  with  unexpected  favor.  It 
came  from  Professor  Henry  B.  Smith  of  the  Union 
Theological  Seminary,  New  York,  who  as  moderator 
of  the  New  School  Assembly  of  1863,  in  the  sermon 
which  he  preached  at  the  opening  of  the  succeeding 
Assembly,  took  for  his  theme  Christian  Union  and  Ec- 
clesiastical Reunion.  This  was  the  first  step  leading  to 
the  opening  of  a  correspondence  between  the  two  Gen- 
eral Assemblies ;  and  in  1866,  when  the  two  bodies 
met  at  the  same  time  at  St.  Louis,  measures  were 
taken  towards  bringing  about  a  reunion  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  a  joint  committee  of  thirty — fifteen  from  each 
School — to  prepare  and  submit  a  basis  for  it;  the 
overtures  coming  in  this  instance,  as  at  the  outset, 
from  the  "  New  School "  branch.  From  that  date 
forward  the  subject  was  kept  constantly  before  both 
branches  of  the  church,  and  was  discussed  eagerly  and 
earnestly  in  the  Presbyteries,  Synods,  and  Assemblies, 


166 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 


in  Pamphlets,  Church  Journals,  and  Reviews.  Fi- 
nally, on  the  27th  of  May,  1869,  the  plan  of  reunion 
presented  by  the  joint  committee  was  adopted  by  the 
"  Old  School,"  the  vote  standing  250  yeas,  to  8  nays. 
With  31  members  absent,  the  same  day,  the  Assem- 
bly of  the  "  New  School  "  adopted  it  by  a  unanimous 
rising  vote.  The  plan  of  reunion  being  afterwards 
submitted  to  the  Presbyteries,  was  adopted  by  all  those 
of  the  "  New  School  "  and  by  a  great  majority  of  those 
of  the  "  Old  School."  The  two  joint  Assemblies  met 
on  November  12th,  and  consummated  the  reconcilia- 
tion by  formal  and  solemn  ceremonies.  From  that 
moment  henceforth,  the  distinction  of  "  Old  School " 
and  "  New  School "  ceased  to  exist.  In  1868  the  rela- 
tive standing  of  the  two  branches  was  as  follows : — 


OLD  SCHOOL. 

NEW  SCHOOL. 

TOTAL. 

Synods  

27 

24 

51 

Presbyteries  

143 

113 

256 

2,381 

1,848 

4  229 

Communicants 

258  903 

175  560 

431  463 

The  contributions  of  the  two  branches  for  the  pre- 
vious year,  which  also  serve  to  show  their  relative  and 
total  strength,  were  as  follows  : — 


OLD  SCHOOL. 

NEW  SCHOOL. 

TOTAL. 

205,023 

142,377 

347,400 

Foreign  Missions  

212,919 

116,364 

329,283 

242,511 

29,492 

272,003 

Publication  .        

29  020 

14,491 

43,511 

Church  Erection  

179,100 

43,013 

222,113 

Ministerial  Relief.  
Freedmen  

37,196 
37  310 

18,966 
12  594 

56,162 
39,904 

Local  Expenses  

3  180  102 

2,866  940 

6,047,042 

Presbyterians  believe  in  but  two  sacraments,  Bap- 
tism and  the  Lord's  Supper.  The  former  is  admin- 
istered on  all  occasions  by  sprinkling,  and  to  infants 
as  well  as  adults.  Their  view  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
is,  that  the  bread  and  wine  are  merely  commemorative 


HISTORY  OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  167 

symbols  intended  to  remind  the  communicant  of  the 
events  of  Christ's  sufferings  and  death,  and  thus  give 
rise  to  devout  reflections. 

UNITARIANS. 

THE  controversy  which  took  place  in  Boston  between 
3)r.  Channing  and  Dr.  Samuel  Worcester,  in  1815,  first 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  whole  community  to  the  ex- 
istence and  to  the  doctrines  of  Unitarianism.  The  polemic 
storm  raged  during  several  years,  many  publications  ap- 
pearing on  both  sides  of  the  question.  After  the  tempest 
passed  away,  the  unscathed  and  imposing  form  of  Unita 
rian  Christianity  appeared  through  the  gloom,  towering 
toward  heaven  in  attractive  beauty,  symmetry,  and  solidity, 
holding  a  recognized  place  among  the  religious  denomina- 
tions of  the  country.  The  principle  which  lies  at  the 
foundation  of  this  church  is  that  of  the  unrestricted  right 
of  private  judgment  in  matters  of  religion.  The  advocates 
of  Unitarianism  hold  that  each  individual  is  responsible  to 
God  for  the  opinions  which  he  entertains,  and  that  where 
there  is  responsibility  there  must  of  necessity  be  perfect 
freedom  of  thinking  and  acting.  Neither  primitive  Fa- 
thers, nor  ecclesiastical  councils,  nor  synods,  nor  estab- 
lished creeds,  possess  any  absolute  authority  for  them.  In 
the  conscientious  exercise  of  this  right  the  founders,  or 
rather  revivers,  of  Unitarianism  in  this  country,  arrived 
at  a  system  of  belief  something  like  the  following :  They 
hold  to  the  absolute  Unity  of  the  Supreme  Being ;  thus 
necessarily  denying  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  or  three 
persons  in  one  God.  They  teach  that  Christ  was  the  first 
and  greatest  of  all  created  beings  ;  that  he  was  the  wisest 
and  best  personage  who  ever  existed  on  earth ;  that  his 
mission  was  divine,  being  what  he  himself  declared  it  to 
be,  sent  by  God  "to  bear  witness  to  the  truth  ;"  that  the 
Holy  Spirit  is  not  a  separate  personal  entity,  but  an  influ- 
ence which  the  Creator  exercises  upon  the  minds  of  men 
under  such  circumstances  as  may  comport  with  his  will 
and  purposes ;  that  the  Scriptures  are  for  the  most  part 


168  HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

the  product  of  a  divine  influence  exerted  upon  the  minis 
of  those  who  wrote  them,  and  that  they  contain  doctrines 
and  precepts,  the  belief  and  observance  of  which  will  make 
men  wise  unto  salvation.  The  Unitarians  further  believe 
that  the  death  of  Christ  was  not  vicarious,  but  simply  the 
necessary  and  natural  result  of  his  labors  and  innovations 
as  a  great  and  wise  teacher ;  that  by  dying  on  the  cross  he 
gave  the  strongest  possible  evidence  of  his  own  sincerity, 
disinterestedness,  and  obedience  to  the  will  of  Him  who 
sent  him ;  that  he  was  raised  from  the  dead  "  by  the  power 
of  God;"  that  such  miracles  as  he  did  perform,  he  per- 
formed by  that  same  power,  which  was  delegated  to  him ; 
that  inasmuch  as  he  left  no  very  specific  and  minute  di- 
rections to  his  apostles  in  reference  to  the  external  relig- 
ious organization  of  those  who  then  were,  and  who  would 
afterward  become,  his  followers,  he  regarded  that  outward 
form  as  a  matter  of  little  consequence ;  that  in  proportion 
as  mankind  in  every  age  believe  and  obey  what  they  find 
recorded  in  the  Scriptures,  interpreted  by  their  own  en- 
lightened consciousness  of  what  they  suppose  to  be  taught 
therein,  they  will  be  happy  here  and  hereafter.  They 
hold  that  charity,  and  not  ecclesiastical  ferocity — love  to 
God  and  man,  and  not  implacable  religious  bigotry  and 
spite — constitute  the  great  fundamental  essence  of  Chris- 
tianity. They  believe  that  every  sinful  act  will  be  pun- 
ished precisely  in  proportion  to  its  deserts  ;  and  that  the 
ultimate  consequence  of  that  punishment  will  be  curative 
and  remedial,  which  they  regard  as  the  only  fit  purpose 
of  punishment  when  inflicted  by  an  infinitely  wise  and 
benevolent  Creator.  Finally,  they  contend  that,  at  the 
"  consummation  of  all  things,"  a  result  will  fee  produced 
which  will  prove  that  the  chief  object  of  God  in  the  crea- 
tion of  the  world  was  not  to  construct  an  almost  universal 
pandemonium,  in  which  ninety-nine  hundredths  of  his  ra- 
tional creatures  should  after  death  be  eternally  and  hope- 
lessly miserable,  thus  making  a  general  hell  in  fact  the 
chef  d'osuvre  of  his  moral  government,  and  the  most 
prominent  and  all-absorbing  object  in  it;  but  that,  on  the 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  169 

contrary,  the  final  destiny  of  the  world  will  be  the  preva- 
lence of  universal  holiness,  such  as  God's  pure  law  de- 
mands ;  of  universal  happiness,  such  as  his  merciful  nature 
reioices  in ;  a  whole  race  redeemed  from  sin  and  misery 
by  obedience  to  the  truth,  such  as  Jesus  taught  it ;  and  a 
universe  exulting  throughout  its  vast  and  illimitable  do- 
mains in  that  unbroken  harmony,  purity,  and  felicity,  which 
would  alone  confer  glory  upon  the  attributes  and  provi- 
ce of  the  Creator  and  Father  of  all. . 


- 


UNIVEBSALISTS. 


OF  the  real  doctrines  of  Universalism,  very  great  igno- 
rance prevails  in  this  country.  As  an  organized  denomi- 
nation it  is  of  comparatively  recent  date ;  being  scarcely 
known  anterior  to  the  opening  of  the  present  century. 
Yet  though  the  career  of  the  organization  is  not  very 
ancient,  it  is  a  circumstance  worthy  of  note  that  the  chief 
central  doctrine  of  Universalism  has  been  held  by  some 
few  Christian  teachers  in  all  ages  since  the  Apostolic  era. 
Several  of  the  early  Fathers  taught  it.  Origen  and  Arius 
believed  it.  Several  of  the  divines  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 
land have  held  it,  such  as  Tillotson ;  as  well  as  some  emi- 
nent "Dissenters,"  such  as  John  Foster;  to  say  nothing 
of  vast  numbers  of  what  are  termed  the  Neological  or  Ka- 
tionalistic  theologians  of  Germany.  It  cannot  be  denied 
that  important  changes  have  taken  place  in  the  doctrinal 
system  held  by  Universalists  in  this  country,  since  it  was 
originally  preached  by  Hosea  Ballou,  the  first.  According 
to  him  and  his  immediate  successors,  the  theory  of  Univer- 
salism was,  that  all  penalty  or  punishment  for  sin  was  in- 
flicted in  the  present  life ;  and  that  in  consequence  of  the 
universal  and  all-atoning  power  of  Christ's  sufferings  and 
atonement,  all  men  entered  on  the  enjoyment  of  the  felici- 
ties of  heaven  immediately  after  their  departure  from  the 
earth.  This  theory  entirely  ignored  the  existence  of  hell- 
fire;  of  a  personal,  living  and  tormenting  Devil;  of  a 
literal  judgment-day,  in  which  a  separation  should  be 


170  HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

made  between  the  good  and  the  bad,  the  sheep  and  th& 
goats;  and  it  contended  that  though  every  man  should  be 
adequately  and  sufficiently  punished  for  his  unforgiven 
sins,  that  punishment  would  be  inflicted  only  during  tho 
period  and  the  progress  of  the  present  existence. 

Subsequently  the  main  doctrine  of  the  denomination 
became  altered,  in  consequence,  probably,  of  future  inves- 
tigation, and  also,  doubtless,  from  the  experience  which 
had  been  felt  of  the  difficulty  of  maintaining,  by  argument, 
the  position  originally  and  previously  contended  for. 
The  opinion  substituted  for  the  old  one  by  the  general 
consent,  or  at  least  by  the  general  use  and  concurrence 
of  the  denomination,  was,  that  while  denying  the  eternity 
of  hell-fire,  they  admitted  that  some  punishment  for  sin 
did  take  place  in  a  future  state,  accurately  proportioned 
by  Infinite  Wisdom  and  Justice  to  the  precise  deserts  of 
the  sinner.  Universalists  now  hold  to  the  existence  of  a 
future  purgatory,  not  unlike,  in  some  respects,  to  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  doctrine.  They  are  at  present,  in  fact  and 
substance,  Rationalists,  teaching  the  final  restoration  of 
all  mankind  to  holiness,  and,  as  a  necessary  consequence, 
to  happiness.  Other  important  changes  have  taken  place 
gradually  in  the  doctrinal  system  held  by  them.  Origi- 
nally they  taught  the  absolute  divinity  of  Christ,  with  the 
vicarious  nature  and  the  universally  efficacious  power  of 
his  atonement.  They  held  that,  so  great  was  the  benefit 
produced  by  his  sufferings  and  death  for  fallen,  degraded 
and  ruined  humanity,  that  all  men  were  saved  thereby 
from  future  and  eternal  punishment :  the  disciplinary  and 
punitive  portion  of  human  existence  being  confined  to  the 
present  life.  Now,  however,  they  generally  deny  the  di- 
vinity of  Christ.  Some  are  Arians,  regarding  him  as  a 
member  of  the  Godhead,  but  greatly  inferior  in  nature, 
power,  and  glory,  to  the  Father.  The  majority  of  them 
are  Soeinians,  believing  Christ  to  have  been  only  a  man, 
but  the  greatest,  best,  and  wisest  of  men  and  of  teachers 
who  ever  existed  and  labored  on  earth.  They  deny  the 
vicarious  nature  of  the  atonement,  or,  rather,  they  do  not 


HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  171 

believe  in  any  atonement  at  all,  for  the  logical  reason  that, 
if  Christ  were  a  mere  man,  his  sufferings,  death,  and  obe- 
dience, would  not  be  any  more  efficacious  in  propitiating 
the  wrath  of  the  offended  Deity,  and  fulfilling  the  require- 
ments of  an  all-perfect  law,  than  would  the  sufferings, 
death,  and  obedience  of  any  other  great  and  good  man.  In 
fact,  they  go  behind  the  theory  of  the  atonement  entirely, 
and  hold  that  no  atonement  is  necessary,  because  Adam 
and  his  descendants  have  never  fallen.  In  other  words, 
they  deny  original  sin  and  native  depravity.  They  do 
not  regard  human  nature  as  the  degraded,  miserable,  and 
detestable  thing  which  the  Orthodox  system  represents  it 
as  being.  They  contend  that  if  Adam  fell  and  thus  threw 
a  black  mantle  of  misfortune  and  guilt  over  the  moral  uni 
verse  immediately  after  his  creation,  such  an  event  was 
a  failure  and  a  baulk  at  the  very  commencement  of  God's 
moral  government,  which  would  be  by  no  means  compli- 
mentary to  the  providence,  foresight,  and  power  of  the 
Creator ;  who,  originally  creating  the  world  and  the  hu- 
man race  for  purity,  holiness,  and  happiness  alone,  at  once 
beheld  the  whole  business  spoiled,  his  handiwork  defaced, 
his  glory  marred,  his  enemy  the  Devil  triumphant,  and  his 
own  benevolent  purposes  defeated  at  the  very  start  of  the 
experiment.  Accordingly,  Universalists  do  not  believe 
that  any  such  fearful  catastrophe  ever  occurred ;  and  while 
they  admit  that  sin  exists  in  the  world,  they  do  not  believe 
in  the  same  excess  of  it,  nor  in  the  necessity  of  the  same 
remedy  for  its  powers  and  its  ravages  which  the  Orthodox 
do ;  but  they  hold  that  by  suffering  the  inevitable  consequen- 
ces of  sin  both  here,  and  temporarily  and  sufficiently  hereaf- 
ter, it  will  be  wiped  out  eventually  from  every  spirit,  and 
a  holy  and  happy  race  will  be  the  winding  up  of  the 
world's  history  and  experience. 

MAHOMMEDANS. 

THE  Mohammedans,  or  Mahommedans,  derive  their  name 
and  doctrine  from  Mahomet,  who  was  born  in  Arabia,  in 


172  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

the  sixth  century.  He  was  endowed  with  a  subtle  genius, 
and  possessed  an  enterprise  and  ambition  peculiar  to  him- 
self. He  pretended  to  receive  revelations ;  and  declared 
that  God  sent  him  into  the  world,  not  only  to  teach  his 
will,  but  to  compel  mankind  to  embrace  it.  The  magis- 
trates of  Mecca  were  alarmed  at  the  progress  of  his  doc- 
trines, and  Mohammed  being  apprized  of  their  design  to 
destroy  him,  fled  to  Medina :  from  this  flight,  which  hap- 
pened in  the  622d  year  of  Christ,  his  followers  compute 
their  time.  This  era  is  called  in  Arabic,  Hegira. 

The  book  in  which  the  Mahometan  religion  is  contained, 
is  called  the  Koran,  or  Alcoran,  by  way  of  eminence,  as 
we  say  the  Bible,  which  means  the  Book.*  Its  doctrines 
made  a  most  rapid  progress  over  Arabia,  Syria,  Egypt,  and 
Persia ;  and  Mohammed  became  the  most  powerful  mon- 
arch in  his  time.  His  successors  spread  their  religion  and 
conquests  over  the  greatest  part  of  Asia,  Africa,  and 
Europe;  and  they  still  give  law  to  a  very  considerable 
part  of  mankind. 

The  great  doctrine  of  the  Koran  is  the  unity  of  God :  to 
restore  which  point,  Mohammed  pretended  was  the  chief 
end  of  his  mission ;  it  being  laid  down  by  him  as  a  funda- 
mental truth,  that  there  never  was,  nor  ever  can  be,  more 
than  one  true  orthodox  religion.  For  though  the  particu- 
lar laws  or  ceremonies  are  only  temporary,  and  subject  to 
alteration  according  to  the  divine  direction,  yet  the  sub' 
stance  of  it  being  eternal  truth,  is  not  liable  to  change, 
but  continues  immutably  the  same.  And  he  taught,  that 
whenever  this  religion  became  neglected,  or  corrupted  in 
essentials,  God  had  the  goodness  to  re-inform  and  re-ad- 
monish mankind  thereof  by  several  prophets,  of  whom 
Moses  and  Jesus  were  the  most  distinguished,  till  the  ap- 

*  The  generality  of  the  Mohammedans  believe,  that  the  first  manu- 
script of  the  Koran  has  been  from  everlasting  by  God's  throne,  written 
on  a  table  of  vast  bigness  called  the  Preserved  Table,  in  which  are  re- 
corded the  divine  decrees  :  that  a  copy  from  this  table,  in  one  volume 
on  paper,  was,  by  the  ministry  of  the  angel  Gabriel,  sent  down  to  the 
lowest  heaven,  in  the  month  of  Ramadan. 


HISTORY   OF   ALL  RELIGIONS.  173 

pearance  of  Mohammed.  The  Koran  asserts  Jesus  to  be 
the  true  Messias,  the  word  and  breath  of  God,  worker  of 
miracles,  healer  of  diseases,  preacher  of  heavenly  doctrine, 
and  exemplary  pattern  of  a  perfect  life ;  denying  that  he 
was  crucified,  but  affirming  that  he  ascended  into  Paradise ; 
and  that  his  religion  was  mended  by  Mohammed,  who  was 
the  seal  of  the  prophets,  and  was  sent  from  God  to  restore 
the  true  religion,  which  was  corrupted  in  his  time,  to  its 
primitive  simplicity ;  with  the  addition,  however,  of  pecu- 
liar laws  and  ceremonies,  some  of  which  have  been  used 
in  former  times,  and  others  were  now  first  instituted. 

The  Mohammedans  divide  their  religion  into  two  gene- 
ral parts — faith  or  theory,  and  religion  or  practice.  Faith 
or  theory  is  contained  in  this  confession  of  faith, — There 
is  but  one  God,  and  Mohammed  is  his  prophet.  Under 
these  two  propositions  are  comprehended  six  distinct 
branches : 

1.  Belief  in  God. — 2.  In  his  angels. — 3.  In  his  scrip- 
tures.— 4.  In  his  prophets. — 5.  In  the  resurrection  and 
judgment. — 6.  In  God's  absolute  decrees. 

They  reckon  four  points  relating  to  practice,  viz  : 

1.  Prayer,  with  washings. — 2.  Alms. — 3.  Fasting. — 
4.  Pilgrimage  to  Mecca. 

The  idea  which  Mohammed  taught  his  disciples  to  enter- 
tain of  the  Supreme  Being,  may  be  seen  from  a  public  ad- 
dress he  made  to  his  countrymen,  which  is  as  follows : 

"  Citizens  of  Mecca  !  The  hour  is  now  come,  when  you 
must  give  an  account  of  your  reason  and  your  talents.  In 
vain  have  you  received  them  from  an  Almighty  Master, 
liberal  and  beneficent — in  case  you  use  them  negligently, 
or  if  you  never  reflect.  In  the  name  of  this  Master,  I 
must  tell  you,  he  will  not  suffer  you  to  abuse  his  inestima- 
ble gifts  by  wasting  life  away  unprofitably,  and  employing 
them  only  in  unworthy  amusements.  No  more  permit  de- 
lusive pleasures  to  distract  your  hearts  !  Open  your  minds 
and  receive  the  truth  !  Wo  to  you  for  the  unworthy  notion 
you  have  entertained  of  God !  The  heaven  and  the  earth 
are  his  o\vn !  and  there  is  nothing  in  all  their  copious  fur- 


174  HISTORY   OP  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

niture  but  what  invariably  obeys  him  !  The  sun  and  stars 
with  all  their  glory,  have  never  disdained  his  service ! 
and  no  being  can  resist  his  will,  and  the  exercise  of  his 
omnipotence  !  He  will  call  men  to  an  account,  and  require 
of  them  the  reason  for  all  those  Gods  they  have  invented 
in  defiance  of  reason !  There  is  no  other  God  but  God, 
and  him  only  we  must  adore."* 

The  belief  of  the  existence  of  angels  is  absolutely  re- 
quired in  the  Koran.  The  Mohammedans  suppose  they 
have  pure  and  subtile  bodies,  created  of  fire ;  and  that  they 
have  various  forms  and  offices ;  some  being  employed  in 
writing  down  the  actions  of  men,  others  in  carrying  the 
throne  of  God,  and  other  services.  They  reckon  four 
angels  superior  to  all  the  rest :  These  are,  Gabriel,  who 
is  employed  in  writing  down  the  divine  decrees ;  Michael, 
the  friend  and  protector  of  the  Jews ;  Azrael,  the  angel 
of  death ;  and  Israsil,  who  will  sound  the  trumpet  at  the 
resurrection.  They  likewise  assign  to  each  person  two 
guardian  angels. 

The  Devil,  according  to  the  Koran,  was  once  one  of  the 
highest  angels,  but  fell  for  refusing  to  pay  homage  to  Adam 
at  the  command  of  God. 

Besides  angels  and  devils,  the  Mohammedans  are  taught 
by  the  Koran  to  believe  an  intermediate  order  of  creatures, 
which  they  call  Jin,  or  Genii,  created  also  of  fire,  but  of 
a  grosser  fabric  than  angels ;  and  are  subject  to  death. 
Some  of  these  are  supposed  to  be  good,  and  others  bad, 
and  capable  of  future  salvation  or  damnation  as  men  are ; 
whence  Mohammed  pretended  to  be  sent  for  the  conversion 
of  Genii  as  well  as  men. 

As  to  the  Scriptures,  the  Mohammedans  are  taught  by 
the  Koran,  that  God,  in  divers  ages  of  the  world,  gave 
revelations  of  his  will  in  writing  to  several  prophets.  The 
number  of  these  sacred  books,  according  to  them,  are  one 
hundred  and  four ;  of  which  ten  were  given  to  Adam,  fifty 
to  Seth,  thirty  to  Enoch,  ten  to  Abraham ;  and  the  other 

*  Boulanviller's  Life  of  Mahomet. 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  17-5 

four,  being  the  Pentateuch,  the  Psalms,  the  Gospels,  and 
the  Koran,  were  successively  delivered  to  Moses,  Da- 
vid, Jesus,  and  Mohammed ;  which  last,  being  the  seal  of 
the  prophets,  these  revelations  are  now  closed.  All  these 
divine  books,  excepting  the  four  last,  they  agree  to  be 
entirely  lost,  and  their  contents  unknown.  And  of  these 
four,  the  Pentateuch,  Psalms,  and  Gospels,  they  say,  have 
undergone  so  many  alterations  and  corruptions,  that  very 
little  credit  is  to  be  given  to  the  present  copies  in  the 
hands  of  the  Jews  and  Christians. 

The  number  of  prophets,  who  have  been  from  time  to 
time  sent  into  the  world,  amounts  to  two  hundred  and 
twenty-four  thousand;  among  whom  three  hundred  and 
thirteen  were  apostles,  sent  with  special  commissions  to 
reclaim  mankind  from  infidelity  and  superstition  ;  and  six 
of  them  brought  new  laws  or  dispensations,  which  succes- 
sively abrogated  the  preceding.  These  were  Adam,  Noah, 
Abraham,  Moses,  Jesus,  and  Mohammed.* 

The  next  article  of  faith  required  by  the  Koran,  is  the 
belief  of  a  general  resurrection  and  a  future  judgment. 
But  before  these,  they  believe  there  is  an  intermediate 
state,  both  of  the  soul  and  of  the  body  after  death.  When 
a  corpse  is  laid  in  the  grave,  two  angels  come  and  examine 
it  concerning  the  unity  of  God,  and  the  mission  of  Mo- 
hammed. If  the  body  answers  rightly,  it  is  suffered  to 
rest  in  peace,  and  is  refreshed  by  the  air  of  Paradise :  if 
not,  they  beat  it  about  the  temples  with  iron  maces  ;  then 
press  the  earth  on  the  corpse,  which  is  gnawed  and  stung 
by  ninety-nine  dragons,  with  seven  heads  each. 

As  to  the  souls  of  the  faithful,  when  they  are  separated 
from  the  body  by  the  angel  of  death,  they  teach,  that 
those  of  the  prophets  are  admitted  into  Paradise  imme- 
diately. Some  suppose,  the  souls  of  believers  are  with 
Adam  in  the  lowest  heaven ;  and  there  are  various  other 
opinions  concerning  their  state.  Those  who  are  called  the 
most  orthodox,  hold  that  the  souls  of  the  wicked  are  con- 

*  Sale's  Koran,  vol.  i.  p.  94,  95. 


176  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

fined  in  a  dungeon  under  a  green  rock,  to  be  there  tor- 
mented till  their  re-union  with  the  body  at  the  general 
resurrection. 

That  the  resurrection  will  be  general,  and  extend  to  all 
creatures,  both  angels,  genii,  men,  and  animals,  is  the  re- 
ceived opinion  of  the  Mohammedans,  which  they  support 
by  the  authority  of  the  Koran. 

Mankind,  at  the  resurrection,  will  be  distinguished  into 
three  classes ;  the  first,  of  those  who  go  on  foot ;  the 
second,  of  those  who  ride ;  and  the  third,  of  those  who 
creep  groveling  with  their  faces  to  the  ground.  The  first 
class  will  consist  of  those  believers  whose  good  works  have 
been  few ;  the  second,  of  those  who  are  more  acceptable 
to  God ;  whence  Ali  affirmed  that  the  pious,  when  they 
come  forth  from  their  sepulchres,  shall  find  ready  prepared 
for  them,  white-winged  camels,  with  saddles  of  gold.  The 
third  class  will  be  composed  of  the  infidels,  whom  God  will 
cause  to  make  their  appearance  with  their  faces  on  the 
ground.  When  all  are  assembled  together,  they  will  wait, 
in  their  ranks  and  orders,  for  the  judgment ;  some  say  forty 
years,  others  seventy,  others  three  hundred,  and  some  no 
less  than  fifty  thousand  years.  During  which  time  they 
will  suffer  great  inconveniences,  the  good  as  well  as  the 
bad,  from  their  thronging  and  pressing  upon  each  other, 
and  the  unusual  approach  of  the  sun,  which  will  be  no 
farther  off  them,  than  the  distance  of  a  mile ;  so  that  the 
skulls  of  the  wicked  will  boil  like  a  pot,  and  they  will  be 
all  bathed  with  sweat.  At  length,  God  will  come  in  the 
clouds  surrounded  by  the  angels,  and  will  produce  the 
books  wherein  every  man's  actions  are  written.  Some 
(explaining  those  words  so  frequently  used  in  the  Koran, 
God  will  be  swift  in  taking  an  account,)  say,  that  he  will 
judge  all  creatures  in  the  space  of  half  a  day ;  and  others, 
chat  it  will  be  done  in  less  time  than  the  twinkling  of  an 
eye.  At  this  tribunal,  every  action,  thought,  word,  &c. 
will  be  weighed  in  a  balance  held  by  the  angel  Gabriel,  of 
so  vast  a  size,  that  its  two  scales  are  capacious  enough  to 
contain  both  heaven  and  earth. 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  177 

The  trials  being  over,  and  the  assembly  dissolved,  those 
who  are  to  be  admitted  into  Paradise,  will  take  the  right 
hand  way  ;  and  those  who  are  destined  to  hell-fire,  the  left ; 
but  both  of  them  must  first  pass  the  bridge  called  in  Arabic, 
Al  Siratj  which  is  laid  over  the  middle  of  hell,  and  is  de- 
scribed to  be  finer  than  a  hair,  and  sharper  than  the  edge 
of  a  sword.  The  wicked  will  miss  their  footing  and  fall 
headlong  into  hell.* 

In  the  Koran  it  is  said  that  hell  has  seven  gates  ;  the 
first  for  the  Musselmen,  the  second  for  the  Christians,  the 
third  for  the  Jews,  the  fourth  for  the  Sabians,  the  fifth  for 
the  Magicians,  the  sixth  for  the  Pagans,  the  seventh  and 
worst  of  all,  for  the  Hypocrites  of  all  religions.  The  in- 
habitants of  hell  will  sufier  a  variety  of  torments,  which 
shall  be  of  eternal  duration,  except  with  those  who  have 
embraced  the  true  religion,  who  will  be  delivered  thence, 
after  they  have  expiated  their  crimes  by  their  sufferings. f 

The  righteous,  after  having  surmounted  the  difficulties 
in  their  passage,  will  enter  Paradise,  which  they  describe 
to  be  a  most  delicious  place,  whose  earth  is  the  finest  wheat, 
or  musk  ;  and  the  stones  pearls,  or  jacinths.  It  is  also 
adorned  with  flowery  fields,  beautiful  with  trees  of  gold, 
enlivened  with  the  most  ravishing  music,  inhabited  by  ex- 
quisite beauties,  abounding  with  rivers  of  milk,  wine,  and 
honey,  and  watered  by  lesser  springs,  whose  pebbles  are 
rubies,  emeralds,  &c.  Here  the  faithful  enjoy  the  most 
exquisite  sensual  delights,  free  from  the  least  alloy.J 

The  sixth  great  point  of  faith  which  the  Mohammedans 
are  taught  to  believe,  is,  God's  absolute  decrees,  and  pre- 
determination, both  of  good  and  evil.  The  doctrine  which 


*  Sale's  Koran,  p.  90,  100, 112. 

f  Between  Paradise  and  hell,  they  imagine  there  is  a  wall  or  parti- 
tion, in  which,  some  suppose,  those  were  placed  whose  good  and  evil 
works  exactly  counterpoised  each  other.  These  will  be  admitted  to 
Paradise  at  the  last  day,  after  they  have  performed  an  act  of  adoration, 
which  will  make  the  scale  of  their  good  works  to  over-balance. 

|  Some  of  the  most  refined  Mohammedans  understand  their  prophet's 
deswiptiou  of  Paradise  in  an  allegorical  sense. 
12 


178  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

they  call  orthodox,  is,  that  whatever  doth  or  shall  come  to 
pass  in  the  world,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad,  proceedeth 
entirely  from  the  divine  will,  and  is  irrevocably  fixed  and 
recorded  from  all  eternity  in  the  preserved  table ;  and  that 
God  hath  secretly  predetermined  not  only  the  adverse  and 
prosperous  fortune  of  every  person  in  the  world,  in  the 
most  minute  particulars,  but  also  his  obedience  or  disobe- 
dience, and  consequently  his  everlasting  happiness  or 
misery  after  death  ;  which  fate  or  predestination  it  is  im- 
possible by  any  foresight  or  wisdom  to  avoid. 

Of  the  four  practical  duties  required  by  the  Koran, 
prayer  is  the  first.  Mohammed  used  to  call  prayer  the 
pillar  of  religion  and  the  key  of  Paradise.  Hence  he 
obliged  his  followers  to  pray  five  times  every  twenty-four 
hours,  and  always  wash  before  prayers. 

Circumcision  is  held  by  the  Mohammedans  to  be  of  di- 
vine institution. 

The  giving  of  alms  is  frequently  commanded  in  the  Ko- 
ran, and  often  recommended  therein  jointly  with  prayer ; 
the  former  being  held  of  great  efficacy  in  causing  the 
latter  to  be  heard  with  God. 

Tasting  is  a  duty  enjoined  by  Mohammed  as  of  the  ut- 
most importance.  His  followers  are  obliged  by  the  ex- 
press command  of  the  Koran,  to  fast  the  whole  month  of 
Ramadan;  during  which  time,  they  are  obliged  to  fast 
from  daylight  to  sunset.  The  reason  the  month  of  Kama- 
dan  is  pitched  upon  for  that  purpose,  is,  because  they  sup- 
pose that  at  that  time  the  Koran  was  sent  down  from 
heaven. 

The  pilgrimage  to  Mecca  is  so  necessary  a  point  of 
practice,  that,  according  to  a  tradition  of  Mohammed,  he 
who  dies  without  performing  it,  may  as  well  die  a  Jew  or 
a  Christian ;  and  the  same  is  expressly  commanded  in  the 
Koran. 

The  negative  precepts  of  the  Koran  are,  to  abstain  from 
usury,  gaming,  drinking  of  wine,  eating  of  blood,  and 
swine's  flesh. 

The  Mohammedans  are  divided  and  subdivided  into  an 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  179 

endless  variety  of  sects.  As  it  is  said  there  is  as  great  a 
diversity  in  their  opinions  as  among  the  Christians,  it  is 
impossible  to  give  a  particular  account  of  their  divisions  in 
the  compass  of  this  work ;  which  will  admit  only  of  noticing 
a  few  of  their  principal  denominations. 

The  divinity  of  the  Mohammedans  may  be  divided  into 
scholastic  and  practical.  Their  scholastic  divinity  consists 
of  logical,  metaphysical,  theological,  and  philosophical 
disquisitions  ;  and  is  built  on  principles  and  methods  of 
reasoning  very  different  from  what  are  used  by  those  who 
pass  among  the  Mohammedans  themselves  for  the  sounder 
divines,  or  more  able  philosophers.  This  art  of  handling 
religious  disputes  was  not  known  in  the  infancy  of  Mo- 
hammedism,  but  was  brought  in  when  sects  sprang  up, 
and  articles  of  religion  began  to  be  called  in  question. 

As  to  their  practical  divinity,  or  jurisprudence,  it  con- 
sists in  the  knowledge  of  the  decisions  of  the  law,  which 
regard  practice  gathered  from  distinct  proofe.  The  princi- 
pal points  of  faith  subject  to  the  examination  and  discus- 
sion of  the  school-men,  are,  the  unity  and  attributes  of 
God ;  the  divine  decrees,  or  predestination ;  the  promises 
and  threats  contained  in  the  law ;  and  matters  of  history 
and  reason. 

The  sects  among  the  Mohammedans  who  are  esteemed 
orthodox,  are  called  by  the  general  name  of  Sonnites,  or 
Traditionarists,  because  they  acknowledge  the  authority  of 
the  Sonna,  or  collection  of  moral  traditions  of  the  sayings 
and  actions  of  their  prophet. 

The  Sonnites  are  subdivided  into  four  chief  sects,  viz., 

1st.  The  Hanisites.— 2d.  The  Malekites.— 3d.  TheSha- 
feits. — 4th.  The  Hanbalites. 

The  difference  between  these  sects  consists  only  in  a  few 
indifferent  ceremonies. 

The  sects  whom  the  generality  of  the  Mohammedans 
suppose  entertain  erroneous  opinions  are  numerous ;  the 
following  are  selected  from  a  large  number,  in  order,  to 


180  HISTORY    OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

give  some  ideas  of  the  disputes  among  Mohammedan  di- 
vines.* 

I.  The  Montazalites,  the  followers  of  "VYasel  Ebn  Ata. 
As  to  their  chief  and  general  tenets :     1st.  They  entirely 
rejected  all  eternal  attributes  of  God,  to  avoid  the  dis- 
tinction of  persons  made  by  the  Christians.      2d.  Thqy 
believed  the  word  of  God  to  have  been  created  in  subjecto, 
as  the  school-men  term  it,  and  to  consist  of  letters  and 
sounds ;  copies  thereof  being  written  in  books  to  express 
and  imitate  the  original.     They  also  affirmed,  that  what- 
ever is  created  in  subjecto  is  also  an  accident,  and  liable 
to  perish.     3d.  They  denied  absolute  predestination ;  main- 
taining, that  God  was  not  the  author  of  evil,  but  of  good 
only ;  and  that  man  was  a  free  agent.     4th.  They  held, 
that  if  a  professor  of  the  true  religion  is  guilty  of  a  griev- 
ous sin,  and  dies  without  repentance,  he  will  be  eternally 
damned,  though  his  punishment  will  be  lighter  than  that 
of  the  infidels.     5th.  They  denied  all  vision  of  God  in  Pa- 
radise by  the  corporeal  eye,  and  rejected  all  comparisons 
or  similitudes  applied  to  God. 

This  sect  are  said  to  have  been  the  first  inventors  of 
scholastic  divinity,  and  are  subdivided,  as  some  reckon, 
into  twenty  different  sects. 

II.  The  Hashbemians ;  who  were  so  named  from  their 
master  Aba  Hasham  Abel  al  Salem.     His  followers  were 
so  much  afraid  of  making  God  the  author  of  evil,  that  they 
would  not  allow  him  to  be  said  to  create  an  infidel,  because 
an  infidel  is  a  compound  of  infidelity  and  man,  and  God  is 
not  the  creator  of  infidelity. 

III.  The  Nohamians,  or  followers  of  Ibrahim  al  Ned- 
ham,  who  imagining  he  could  not  sufficiently  remove  God 
from  being  the  author  of  evil,  without  divesting  him  of  his 
power  in  respect  thereto,  taught  that  no  power  ought  to  be 
ascribed  to  God  concerning  evil  and  rebellious  actions : 
but  this  he  affirmed  against  the  opinion  of  his  own  disci- 

*  Sale's  Koran,  p.  142,  146,  148,  150, 152. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  181 

pies,  who  allowed  that  God  could  do  evil,  but  did  not,  be- 
cause of  its  turpitude. 

IV.  The  Jabedhians,  or  followers  of  Amru  Ebn  Bahr, 
a  great  doctor  of  the  Montazalites,  who  differed  from  his 
brethren,  in  that  he  imagined  the  damned  would  not  be 
eternally  tormented  in  hell,  but  would  be  changed  into  the 
nature  of  brutes,  and  the  vilest  classes  of  the  animal  crea- 
tion. 

ATHAN  ASIANS. 

Those  who  profess  similar  sentiments  to  those  taught 
by  Athanasius,  bishop  of  Alexandria,  who  flourished  in  the 
fourth  century.  He  was  bishop  during  forty-six  years ;  and 
his  long  administration  was  spent  in  a  perpetual  combat 
against  the  powers  of  Arianism.  He  is  said  to  have  con- 
secrated every  moment,  and  every  faculty  of  his  being,  to 
the  defence  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  The  scheme 
of  Athanasius  made  the  Supreme  Deity  to  consist  of  three 
persons,  the  same  in  substance,  equal  in  power  and  glory. 
The  first  of  those  three  persons  and  fountain  of  divinity  to 
the  other  two,  it  makes  to  be  the  Father.  The  second 
person  is  called  the  Son,  and  is  said  to  be  descended  from 
the  Father,  by  an  eternal  generation  of  an  ineffable  and 
incomprehensible  nature  in  the  essence  of  the  Godhead. 
The  third  person  is  the  Holy  Ghost,  derived  from  the  Fa- 
ther and  the  Son,  but  not  by  generation,  as  the  Son  is 
derived  from  the  Father,  but  by  an  eternal  and  incompre- 
hensible procession.  Each  of  these  persons  are  very  and 
eternal  God,  as  much  as  the  Father  himself;  and  yet 
though  distinguished  in  this  manner,  they  do  not  make 
three  Gods,  but  one  God. 

This  system  also  includes  in  it  the  belief  of  two  natures 
in  Jesus  Christ,  viz.,  the  divine  and  human,  forming  one 
person. 

To  prove  the  divinity  of  Christ,  and  his  co-equality  with 
the  Father,  this  denomination  argue  thus  : 

In  John  i.  1,  it  is  said  expressly,  "  In  the  beginning 


182  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word 
was  God."  Which  implies,  that  the  Word  existed  from 
all  eternity,  not  as  a  distinct,  separate  power,  but  the 
Word  was  with  God,  and  the  Word  was  God,  not  another 
God,  but  only  another  person,  of  the  same  nature,  Bub- 
stance,  and  Godhead. 

It  is  evident,  that  St.  John  intended  the  word  "  God"  in 
this  strict  sense,  from  the  time  of  which  he  is  speaking. 
In  the  beginning  the  Word  was  God,  before  the  creation. 
It  is  not  said,  that  he  was  appointed  God  over  the  things 
which  should  be  afterwards  created.  He  was  God  before 
any  dominion  over  the  creatures  commenced. 

It  is  said,  that  all  things  absolutely  were  made  by  him ; 
therefore  he  who  created  all  things,  cannot  be  a  created 
being.  Since  nothing  was  made  but  by  and  through  him, 
it  follows  that  the  Son,  as  Creator,  must  be  eternal  and 
strictly  divine. 

Christ's  divinity  and  co-equality  with  the  Father,  are 
plainly  taught  in  Phil.  ii.  5,  6,  7,  &c.  "  Let  this  mind  be 
in  you,  which  was  also  in  Christ  Jesus,  who  being  in  the 
form  of  God,  thought  it  not  robbery  to  be  equal  with  God, 
but  made  himself  of  no  reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the 
form  of  a  servant." 

Our  Saviour  says  of  himself,  "  I  and  my  Father  arc 
one."  John  v.  19.  "  He  that  has  seen  me,  has  seen  the 
Father."  John  x.  30.  "All  that  the  Father  hath  are 
mine."  John  xvi.  15.  Those  high  and  strong  expres- 
sions are  supposed  to  teach,  that  he  is  the  supreme  God. 

The  prophets  describe  the  true  God  as  the  only  Saviour 
of  sinners.  For  thus  it  is  written,  "I,  even  I,  am  Jehovah, 
and  besides  me  there  is  no  Saviour.  Jesus  Christ  not 
only  professes  to  save  sinners,  but  he  calls  himself  the 
Saviour,  by  way  of  eminence.  Hence  it  is  evident,  that 
he  assumes  a  character  in  the  most  emphatical  way,  which 
the  God  of  Israel  had  challenged  and  appropriated  to 
himself. 

The  divine  titles,  which  are  ascribed  to  the  Son  in 
Scriptures  are:  "  The  true  God."  1  John  v.  28.  "  The 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  183 

mighty  God."  Isa.  ix.  6.  "  The  Alpha  and  Omega,  the 
first  and  the  last."  Rev.  i.  8.  "  The  God  over  all  blessed 
forever  more."  Rom.  ix.  5.  And  Thomas  calls  Christ, 
after  his  resurrection,  his  Lord  and  God. 

The  titles  given  to  Christ  in  the  New  Testament,  are 
the  same  with  those  which  are  given  to  God  in  the  Jewish 
Scriptures.  The  name  Jehovah,*  which  is  appropriated 
to  God,  Psalm  Ixxxiii.  18.  Isa.  xiv.  5,  is  given  to  Christ. 
See  Isa.  xiv.  23,  25,  compared  with  Rom.  xiv.  12.  Isa. 
xi.  3,  compared  with  Luke  i.  76.  Jesus  is  the  person 
spoken  of  by  St.  John,  whose  glory  Esaias  is  declared  to 
have  seen,  when  he  affirms  he  saw  the  Lord  of  hosts. 
Therefore  Jesus  is  the  Lord  of  hosts. 

The  attributes,  which  are  sometimes  appropriated  to 
God,  are  applied  to  Christ. 

Omniscience  is  ascribed  to  Christ.  John  xvi.  10. 
"Now  we  are  sure  that  thou  knowest  all  things."  To  be 
the  searcher  of  the  heart,  is  the  peculiar  and  distinguishing 
characteristic  of  the  one  true  God,  as  appears  from  Jer. 
xvii.  10.  Yet  our  blessed  Lord  claims  this  perfection  to 
himself.  "I  am  he,"  saith  he,  "that  searcheth  the  reins 
and  the  heart."  Rev.  ii.  23. 

Omnipresence,  another  divine  attribute,  is  ascribed  to 
Christ.  Matt,  xviii.  20.  "  Where  two  or  three  are  gath- 
ered together  in  my  name,  there  am  I,  in  the  midst  of 
them." 

Immutability  is  ascribed  to  Christ.  Heb.  i.  10,  11,  12. 
"  Thou  art  the  same,  and  thy  years  shall  not  fail."  This 
is  the  very  description  which  the  Psalmist  gives  of  the 
immutability  of  the  only  true  God.  See  also  Heb.  xiii.  8. 

Eternity  is  ascribed  to  Christ.  Rev.  i.  8.  The  Son's 
being  Jehovah,  is  another  proof  of  his  eternity,  that  name 
expressing  necessary  existence. 

*  It  has  been  observed  by  critics  on  the  word  Jehovah,  that  the  first 
syllable  Jah  means  the  divine  essence,  and  that  by  kovah  may  be  under- 
stood, calamity,  grief,  destruction.  Hence  some  have  supposed,  the 
design  of  that  venerable  name  was  to  convey  unto  us  the  ideas  of  a 
divine  essence  in  a  human  frame,  and  a  suffering  and  crucified  Messiah. 


1.84  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

Christ  is  also  said  to  have  almighty  power.  Heb.  i.  8 
See  also  Phil.  iii.  21. 

The  truth  and  faithfulness  of  God  are  ascribed  to  Christ. 
"I  am,"  says  he,  "the  truth,"  &c. 

Divine  works  are  also  ascribed  to  Christ,  viz.,  creation, 
preservation,  and  forgiveness  of  sins. 

There  are  numerous  texts  of  Scripture,  which  assert 
that  Christ  is  the  Creator  of  all  things.  See  Heb.  i.  10. 
"  Thou,  Lord,  in  the  beginning  hast  laid  the  foundation  of 
the  earth,  and  the  heavens  are  the  work  of  thy  hands. 
See  also  Rev.  iii.  14.  1  Cor.  viii.  6,  and  various  other 
passages. 

The  work  of  creation  is  everywhere,  in  Scripture,  repre- 
sented as  the  mark  and  characteristic  of  the  true  God. 
See  2  Kings  xix.  15.  Job  xxii.  7.  Psalm  xix.  1.  Hence 
it  is  evident  that  Christ,  the  Creator,  is  the  true  God. 

Preservation  is  ascribed  to  Christ.  Heb.  i.  3.  "  Up- 
holding all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power." 

Christ  himself  says,  in  Matt.  ix.  6,  "  The  Son  of  man 
hath  power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins. 

Christ's  being  appointed  the  supreme  Judge  of  the 
world,  is  an  evidence  that  he  is  the  true  God.  The  God 
of  Israel  is  emphatically  styled,  the  Judge  of  all. 

Religious  worship,  though  appropriated  to  God,  was  by 
divine  approbation  and  command  given  to  Christ.  Heb. 
i.  6.  The  apostle  speaking  of  Christ,  says,  "  Let  the  an- 
gels of  God  worship  him."  See  also  Luke  xxiv.  25.  John 
v.  23.  Rev.  i.  5,  6 ;  v.  13,  &c. 

The  Scripture  everywhere  asserts  that  God  alone  is  to 
be  worshiped.  The  same  Scripture  asserts  that  our 
blessed  Saviour  is  to  be  worshiped.  Thus  St.  Stephen 
adores  him  with  direct  worship :  "  Lord  Jesus,  receive  my 
Spirit."  The  obvious  consequence  of  which  is,  our  blessed 
Saviour  is  God. 

This  denomination  allege,  that  divine  titles,  attributes, 
works,  and  worship,  are  also  ascribed  to  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Many  plead  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  called  Jehovah  in 
the  Old  Testament,  by  comparing  Acts  xxviii.  23,  with 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  185 

Isa.   vi.   9,      And  he   also   appears   to   be   called  God. 
Acts  v.  4. 

Eternity  is  clearly  the  property  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  who 
is  styled  by  the  author  of  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews, 
"the  eternal  Spirit."  Heb.  ix.  14. 

Omnipresence  is  a  necessary  proof  of  divinity.  This 
attribute  belongs  to  the  Holy  Spirit ;  for  thus  saith  the 
inspired  poet,  "Whither  shall  I  go  from  thy  Spirit?" 
Psalm  cxxxix.  7. 

Omniscience  is  ascribed  to  the  Spirit.  1  Cor.  ii.  10. 
"  For  the  Spirit  searcheth  all  things,  even  the  deep  things 
of  God." 

St.  Paul  declares,  that  his  ability  to  work  all  manner 
of  astonishing  miracles,  for  the  confirmation  of  his  minis- 
try, was  imparted  to  him  by  the  Spirit.  Rom.  xv.  19. 
The  same  act  of  divine  grace,  viz.,  our  spiritual  birth,  is 
ascribed  without  the  change  of  a  single  letter  to  God  and 
the  Spirit.  John  ii.  1.  1  John  v.  4. 

The  chief  texts  produced  to  prove  that  divine  worship 
is  given  to  the  Spirit  are,  Matt,  xxiii.  19.  Isa.  vi.  3, 
compared  with  verse  9.  Acts  xxviii.  25, — &c.  Rom. 
ix.  1.  Rev.  i.  4.  2  Cor.  xiii.  14. 

There  are  various  texts  of  Scripture,  in  which,  Father, 
Son,  and  Spirit,  are  mentioned  together,  and  represented 
under  distinct  personal  characters. 

At  the  baptism  of  Christ,  the  Father  speaks  with  an 
audible  voice,  the  Son  in  human  nature  is  baptized  by 
John,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  appears  in  the  shape  of  a  dove. 
Matt.  iii.  16,  17. 

The  Trinity  of  persons  in  the  Godhead  appears  from 
our  baptism,  because  it  is  dispensed  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

The  Trinity  of  persons  also  appears  from  the  apostolic 
benediction,  "  The  grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  love  of 
God,  and  the  communion  of  the  Holy  Ghost  be  with  you 
all,  Amen."  1  Cor.  xiii.  14.  And  also  from  the  testi- 
mony of  the  three  in  heaven,  contained  in  1  John  v.  7. 
The  Trinity  in  Unity  is  one  Supreme  Being,  distinguished 


186  HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

from  all  others  by  the  name  Jehovah.  Deut.  vi.  4.  "  The 
Lord  our  God  is  one  Jehovah."  Yet  Christ  is  Jehovah. 
Jer.  xxiii.  6.  So  is  the  Spirit.  Ezek.  viii.  i.  3.  There- 
fore Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  are  one  Jehovah. 
They  are  three  persons,  but  have  one  name,  and  one  na- 
ture. 

ARIANS. 

A  denomination  of  the  fourth  century,  which  owed  its 
origin  to  Arius,  a  man  of  subtle  mind,  and  remarkable  for 
his  eloquence.  He  maintained  that  the  Son  was  totally 
and  essentially  distinct  from  the  Father.  That  he  was 
the  first  and  noblest  of  all  those  beings  whom  God  the 
Father  had  created  out  of  nothing,  and  the  instrument  by 
whose  subordinate  operation  the  Almighty  Father  formed 
the  universe,  and  therefore  inferior  to  the  Father  both  in 
nature  and  in  dignity.*  He  added  that  the  Holy  Spirit 
was  of  a  different  nature  from  that  of  the  Father,  and  of 
the  Son ;  and  that  he  had  been  created  by  the  Son. 
However,  during  the  life  of  Arius,  the  disputes  turned 
principally  on  the  divinity  of  Christ. 

Such  is  the  representation  which  is  given  of  the  opinion 
of  Arius,  and  his  immediate  followers.  The  modern  de- 
fenders of  this  system,  to  prove  the  subordination  and  in- 
feriority of  Christ  to  God  the  Father,  argue  thus : 

There  are  various  passages  of  Scripture,  where  the 
Father  is  styled  the  one  or  only  God.  Matt.  xix.  17. 
"  Why  callest  thou  me  good  ?  there  is  none  good  but  one, 
that  is  God." 

The  Father  is  styled  God  with  peculiarly  high  titles  and 
attributes.  See  Matt.  xv.  32.  Mark  v.  7,  &c.  It  is  said 
in  Eph.  iv.  6.  "  There  is  one  God  and  Father  of  all,  who 
is  above  all." 

*  His  followers  deny  that  Christ  had  anything  which  could  properly 
be  called  a  divine  nature,  any  otherwise  than  as  anything  very  excellent 
may  by  a  figure  be  called  divine,  or  his  delegated  dominion  OYCI  the 
system  of  nature  might  entitle  him  to  the  name  of  God. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  187 

Our  Lo^.  Jesus  Christ  expressly  speaks  of  another  God 
distinct  from  himself.  Matt,  xxvii.  46.  John  xx.  17. 

Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  not  only  owns  another  than  him- 
self to  be  God;  but  also  that  he  is  above,  and  over  him- 
self. He  declares,  that  "his  Father  is  greater  than  he." 
John  xiv.  28.  He  says  he  came  not  in  his  own,  but  his 
Father's  name  and  authority.  That  he  sought  not  his 
own,  but  God's  glory,  nor  made  his  own  will  but  God's  his 
rule :  and  in  such  a  posture  of  subjection  he  came  down 
from  heaven  into  this  earth,  that  it  should  seem  that  na- 
ture which  did  pre-exist,  did  not  possess  the  supreme  will 
even  before  it  was  incarnate. 

Christ's  saying,  that  he  is  of  the  Father  must  mean  that 
he  is  derived  from  him ;  and  this  necessarily  implies,  that 
he  is  neither  self-existent  nor  eternal ;  as  the  being  derived 
from,  must  exist  before  another  being  can  be  derived  from 
him. 

Christ  professes  his  knowledge  to  be  limited  and  inferior 
to  the  Father's..  Mark  xiii.  32.  "  Of  that  day  knows  no 
man,  no  not  the  angels  in  heaven,  nor  the  Son,  but  the 
Father  only." 

In  like  manner  the  apostle  declares  his  subjection  to 
another ;  not  only  as  his  Father,  but  his  God,  which  is 
emphatically  expressed,  in  calling  the  most  blessed  God 
the  God  uof  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  after  his  humiliation 
was  over.  Eph.  i.  17.  And  the  head  of  Christ  is  God. 
See  also  1  Cor.  xi.  3. 

It  is  said  in  1  Cor.  xv.  24,  that  "  Christ  will  deliver 
up  the  kingdom  to  God,  even  the  Father,"  therefore  ho 
will  be  subjected  to  him,  and  consequently  inferior. 

There  are  various  passages  of  Scripture  in  which  it  is 
declared,  that  all  prayers  and  praises  ought  primarily  to 
be  offered  to  the  Father.  See  Matt.  iv.  10.  John  iv.  23. 
Acts  iv.  24.  1  Cor.  i.  4.  Phil.  i.  3,  4. 

The  ancient  Arians  were  divided  among  themselves,  and 
torn  into  factions  which  regarded  each  other  with  the  bit- 
terest aversion.  Of  these  the  ancient  writers  make  men- 
tion under  the  names  of  Semi- Arians,  Eusebians,  Aetians, 


188         HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

Eunomians,  Acacians,  Psatyrians,  and  others.  But  they 
may  all  be  included  with  the  utmost  propriety  in  three 
classes ;  the  first  of  these  were  the  primitive  and  genuine 
Arians,  who  rejected  all  those  forms  and  modes  of  expres- 
sion, which  the  moderns  had  invented  to  render  their 
opinions  less  shocking  to  the  Nicenians.  They  taught 
simply,  that  the  Son  was  not  begotten  of  the  Father,  i.  e. 
produced  out  of  his  substance,  but  only  created  out  of  no- 
thing. This  class  was  opposed  by  the  Semi- Arians,  who 
in  their  turn  were  abandoned  by  the  Eunomians,  or  Ano- 
maeans,  the  disciples  of  Aetias  and  Eunomius.  The  Semi- 
Arians  held,  that  the  Son  was  similar  to  the  Father  in  his 
essence,  not  by  nature,  but  by  a  peculiar  privilege.  The 
Eunomians,  who  were  also  called  Aetians  and  Exucon- 
tians,  and  may  be  counted  in  the  number  of  pure  Arians, 
maintained  that  Christ  was  unlike  the  Father  in  his  essence, 
as  well  as  in  other  respects : 

Under  this  general  division  were  comprehended  many 
subordinate  sects,  whose  subtleties  and  refinements  have 
been  but  obscurely  developed  by  ancient  writers. 

The  opinion  of  the  Arians  concerning  Christ  differs  from 
the  Gnostics  chiefly  in  two  respects. 

First,  the  Gnostics  supposed  the  pre-existent  spirit  which 
was  in  Jesus,  to  have  been  an  emanation  from  the  Supreme 
Being,  according  to  the  principles  of  the  philosophy  of 
that  age,  which  made  creation  out  of  nothing  to  be  an  im- 
possibility. But  the  Arians  supposed  the  pre-existent 
spirit  to  have  been  properly  created ;  and  to  have  animated 
the  body  of  Christ,  instead  of  the  human  soul. 

Secondly,  the  Gnostics  supposed  that  the  pre-existent 
spirit  was  not  the  Maker  of  the  world,  but  was  sent  to  rec- 
tify the  evils  which  had  been  introduced  by  the  being  who 
made  it.  But  the  Arians  supposed,  that  their  Logos  was 
the  being,  whom  God  had  employed  in  making  the  uni- 
verse, as  well  as  in  all  his  communications  with  mankind. 

Those  who  hold  the  doctrine,  which  is  usually  called 
IJK  Arianism  say,  that  Christ  pre-existed,  but  not  as  the 
eternal  Logos  of  the  Father,  or  as  the  being  by  whom  ne 


HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  180 

made  the  worlds,  and  had  intercourse  with  the  patriarchs ; 
or  as  having  any  certain  rank  or  employment  whatever  in 
the  divine  dispensation.  As  this  doctrine  had  not  any 
existence  till  late  years,  and  the  author  of  it  is  unknown, 
it  has  not  got  any  specific  name  among  writers. 

ARMINIANS. 

THEY  derive  thei*  name  from  James  Arminius,  who  was 
bcrn  in  Holland  in  the  year  1560.  He  was  the  first  pas- 
tor at  Amsterdam;  afterwards  Professor  of  Divinity  at 
Leyden,  and  attracted  the  esteem  and  applause  of  his  very 
enemies,  by  his  acknowledged  candor,  penetration,  and 
piety.  They  received  also  the  denomination  of  Remon- 
strants, from  an  humble  petition  entitled  their  remonstran- 
ces, which  they  addressed  in  the  year  1610,  to  the  States 
of  Holland. 

The  principal  tenets  of  the  Arminians  are  comprehended 
m  five  articles,  to  which  are  added  a  few  of  the  arguments 
they  make  use  of  in  defence  of  their  sentiments. 

I.  That  the  Deity  has  not  fixed  the  future  state  of  man- 
kind, by  an  absolute  unconditional  decree ;  but  determined, 
from  all  eternity,  to  bestow  salvation  on  those  whom  he 
foresaw  would  persevere  unto  the  end  in  their  faith  in  Je- 
sus Christ ;  and  to  inflict  everlasting  punishment  on  those 
who  should  continue  in  their  unbelief,  and  resist  unto  the 
end  his  divine  succors. 

For  as  the  Deity  is  just,  holy,  and  merciful,  wise  in  all 
his  counsels,  and  true  in  all  his  declarations  to  the  sons 
of  men,  it  is  inconsistent  with  his  attributes,  by  an  antece- 
dent decree,  to  fix  our  commission  of  so  many  sins,  in  such 
a  manner,  that  there  is  no  possibility  for  us  to  avoid  them. 
And  he  represents  God  dishonorably,  who  believes,  that 
by  his  revealed  will,  he  hath  declared  he  would  have  all 
men  to  be  saved ;  and  yet,  by  an  antecedent  secret  will,  he 
would  have  the  greatest  part  of  them  to  perish.  That  he 
hath  imposed  a  law  upon  them,  which  he  requires  them  to 
obey,  on  penalty  of  his  eternal  displeasure,  though  he 


190  HISTORY   OF   ALL  RELIGIONS. 

knows  they  cannot  do  it  without  his  irresistible  gra« .  j ;  and 
yet  is  absolutely  determined  to  withhold  this  grace  from 
them,  and  then  punish  them  eternally  for  what  they  coulc 
not  do  without  his  divine  assistance. 

II.  That  Jesus  Christ,  by  his  death  and  sufferings,  made 
an  atonement  for  the  sins  of  all  mankind  in  general,  and 
of  every  individual  in  particular :  that,  however,  none  but 
those  who  believe  in  him,  can  be  partakers  of  their  divine 
benefit. 

That  is,  the  death  of  Christ  put  all  men  in  a  capacity  of 
being  justified  and  pardoned,  upon  condition  of  their  faith, 
repentance,  and  sincere  obedience  to  the  laws  of  the  new 
covenant. 

For  the  Scriptures  declare,  in  a  variety  of  places, — that 
Christ  died  for  the  whole  world.  John  iii.  16,  17.  "  God 
so  -loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son, 
that  whosoever  believeth  on  him,  might  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life,  &c."  1  John  ii.  2.  "He  is  the 
propitiation  not  only  for  our  sins,  but  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world."  And  the  apostle  expresses  the  same  idea 
in  Heb.  ii.  9,  when  he  says,  "  Christ  tasted  death  for 
every  man."  Here  is  no  limitation  of  that  comprehensive 
phrase. 

If  Christ  died  for  those  who  perish,  and  for  those  who 
do  not  perish,  he  died  for  all.  That  he  died  for  those  who 
do  not  perish,  is  confessed  by  all ;  and  if  he  died  for  any 
who  may  or  shall  perish,  there  is  the  same  reason  to  afiirm 
that  he  died  for  all  who  perish.  Now  that  he  died  for 
such,  the  Scripture  says  expressly,  in  1  Cor.  viii.  11. 
"  And  through  thy  knowledge  shall  the  weak  brother  per- 
ish for  whom  Christ  died."  Hence  it  is  evident  Christ  died 
for  those  who  perish,  and  for  those  who  do  not  perish; 
therefore  he  died  for  all  men. 

III.  That  mankind  are  not  totally  depraved,  and  that 
depravity  does  not  come  upon  them  by  virtue  of  Adam's 
being  their  public  head ;  but  that  mortality  and  natural 
evil  only  are  the  direct  consequences  of  his  sin  to  his  pos- 
terity. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  191 

For,  if  all  men  are  utterly  disabled  to  all  good,  and  con- 
tinually inclined  to  all  manner  of  wickedness,  it  follows, 
that  they  are  not  moral  agents.  For  how  are  we  capable 
of  performing  duty,  or  of  regulating  our  actions  by  a  law 
commanding  good  and  forbidding  evil,  if  our  minds  are 
bent  to  nothing  but  what  is  evil  ?  Then  sin  must  be  natu- 
ral to  us ;  and  if  natural,  then  necessary,  with  regard  to 
us ;  and  if  necessary,  then  no  sin.  For  what  is  natural  to 
us,  as  hunger,  thirst,  &c.,  we  can  by  no  means  hinder ; 
and  what  we  can  by  no  means  hinder,  is  not  our  sin, 
Therefore  mankind  are  not  totally  depraved. 

That  the  sin  of  our  first  parents  is  not  imputed  to  us, 
is  evident ;  because,  as  the  evil  action  they  committed  was 
personal,  so  must  their  real  guilt  be  personal  and  belong 
only  to  themselves.  And  we  cannot,  in  the  eye  of  justice 
and  equity,  be  punishable  for  their  transgression. 

IV.  That  there  is  no  such  thing  as  irresistible  grace,  in 
the  conversion  of  sinners. 

For,  if  conversion  be  wrought  only  by  the  unfrustrable 
operation  of  God,  and  man  is  purely  passive  in  it,  vain  are 
all  the  commands  and  exhortations  to  wicked  men  "  to 
turn  from  their  evil  ways:"  Isa.  i.  16.  "To  cease  to 
do  evil,  and  learn  to  do  well :"  Deut.  x.  16.  "  To  put  off 
the  old  man,  and  put  on  the  new :"  Eph.  iv.  22.  And 
divers  other  texts  to  the  same  purpose.  Were  an  irresisti- 
ble power  necessary  to  the  conversion  of  sinners,  no  man 
could  be  converted  sooner  than  he  is  ;  because,  before  this 
irresistible  action  came  upon  him,  he  could  not  be  con- 
verted, and  when  it  came  upon  him,  he  could  not  resist  its 
operations.  And  therefore  no  man  could  reasonably  be 
blamed,  that  he  lived  so  long  in  an  unconverted  state :  and 
it  could  not  be  praiseworthy  in  any  person  who  was  con- 
verted, since  no  man  can  resist  an  unfrustrable  operation. 

V.  That  those  who  are  united  to  Christ  by  faith,  may 
fall  from  their  faith,  and  forfeit  finally  their  state  of  grace. 

For  the  doctrine  of  a  possibility  of  the  final  departure  of 
true  believers  from  the  faith,  is  expressed  in  Heb.  vi.  4, 
5,  6.  "  It  is  impossible  for  them  who  were  once  enlight- 


192  HISTORY   OF   ALL  RELIGIONS. 

ened,  &c. — if  they  shall  fall  away,  to  renew  them  again  to- 
repentance ;  seeing  they  crucify  to  themselves  the  Son  of 
God  afresh,  and  put  him  to  open  shame."  See  also  2 
Peter,  ii.  18,  20,  21,  22,  and  divers  other  passages  of 
Scripture  to  the  same  purpose. 

All  commands  to  persevere  and  stand  fast  in  the  faith, 
show  that  there  is  a  possibility  that  believers  may  not  stand, 
fast  and  persevere  unto  the  end.  All  cautions  to  Chris- 
tians not  to  fall  from  grace,  are  evidences  and  suppositions 
that  they  may  fall.  For  what  we  have  just  reason  to  cau- 
tion any  person  against,  must  be  something  which  may 
come  to  pass  and  be  hurtful  to  him.  Now  such  caution 
Christ  gives  his  disciples ;  Luke  xxi.  34,  36.  To  them 
who  had  like  precious  faith  with  the  apostles,  St.  Peter 
saith,  "  Beware  lest  being  led  away  by  the  error  of  the 
wicked,  you  fall  from  your  own  steadfastness."  2  Pet. 
iii.  17.  Therefore  he  did  not  look  upon  this  as  a  thing 
impossible :  and  the  doctrine  of  perseverance  renders  those 
exhortations  and  motives  insignificant,  which  are  so  often 
to  be  found  in  Scripture. 

,  In  these  five  points,  which  are  considered  as  fundamental 
articles  in  the  Arminian  system,  the  doctrine  of  the  will's 
naving  a  self-determining  power  is  included.  Perhaps 
some  may  wish  to  see  a  sketch  of  the  arguments  adduced 
to  support  this  opinion. 

Dr.  Clarke  defines  liberty  to  be  a  power  of  self-motion, 
or  self-determination.  This  definition  is  embraced  by  all 
this  denomination,  and  implies,  that  in  our  volitions  we 
are  not  acted  upon.  Activity  and  being  acted  upon  are 
incompatible  with  one  another.  In  whatever  instances, 
therefore,  it  is  truly  said  of  us,  that  we  act,  in  those  in- 
stances we  cannot  be  acted  upon.  A  being  in  receiving  a 
change  of  its  state  from  the  exertion  of  an  adequate  force, 
is  not  an  agent.  Man  therefore  could  not  be  an  agent, 
were  aii  his  volitions  derived  from  any  force ;  or  the  effects 
of  any  mechanical  causes.  In  this  case,  it  would  be  no 
more  true  that  he  ever  acts,  than  it  is  true  of  a  ball  that 
it  acts,  when  struck  by  another  ball. 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  198 


CAL1XTINS. 

A  BRANCH  of  the  Hussites  in  Bohemia  and  Moravia  in 
the  fifteenth  century.  The  principal  point  in  which  they 
differed  from  the  church  of  Rome,  was  the  use  of  the 
Chalice,  (Calix,)  or  communicating  in  both  kinds. 

Calixtins  was  also  a  name  given  to  those  among  the 
Lutherans,  who  followed  the  opinions  of  George  Calixtus, 
a  celebrated  divine  in  the  seventeenth  century ;  who  en- 
deavoured to  unite  the  Romish,  Lutheran,  and  Calvinistic 
churches,  in  the  bonds  of  charity  and  mutual  benevolence. 

He  maintained, 

I.  That  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  Christianity,  by 
which  he  meant  those  elementary  principles  whence  all  its 
truths  flow,  were  preserved  pure  in  all  three  communions, 
and  were  contained  in  that  ancient  form  of  doctrine,  that 
is  vulgarly  known  by  the  name  of  the  Apostles'  Creed. 

II.  That  the  tenets  and  opinions  which  had  been  con- 
stantly received  by  the  ancient  doctors,  during  the  first 
five  centuries,  were  to  be  considered  as  of  equal  truth  and 
authority  with  the  express  declarations  and  doctrines  of 
Scripture. 

CALYINISTS. 

THESE  derive  their  name  from  John  Calvin,  who  was 
born  at  Nogen,  in  Picardy,  in  the  year  1509.  He  first 
studied  the  civil  law,  and  was  afterwards  made  professor 
of  divinity  at  Geneva,  in  the  year  1536.  His  genius, 
learning,  and  eloquence,  rendered  him  respectable  even  in 
the  eyes  of  his  very  enemies. 

The  principal  tenets  of  the  Calvinists  are  comprehended 
in  five  articles,  to  which  are  added  a  few  of  the  arguments 
they  employ  in  defence  of  their  sentiments. 

I.  That  God  has  chosen  a  certain  number  in  Christ  unto 
everlasting  glory,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  ac- 
cording to  his  immutable  purpose,  and  of  his  free  grace 
13 


194  HISTORY   OF  ALL   KELIGIOKT. 

and  love,  without  the  least  foresight  of  faith,  good  works, 
or  any  conditions  performed  by  the  creature ;  and  that  the 
rest  of  mankind  he  was  pleased  to  pass  by,  and  ordain 
them  to  dishonor  and  wrath  for  their  sins,  to  the  praise  of 
his  justice. 

For,  as  the  Deity  is  infinitely  perfect  and  independent 
in  all  his  acts,  the  manifestation  of  his  essential  perfections 
must  be  the  supreme  end  of  the  divine  counsels  and  de- 
signs. Prov.  xvi.  4.  "  The  Lord  hath  made  all  things 
for  himself,  &c."  Since  God  is  omniscient,  it  is  evident 
that  he  foresaw  from  everlasting  whatever  should  come  to 
pass  :  but  there  can  be  no  prescience  of  future  contingents  ; 
for  what  is  certainly  foreseen,  must  infallibly  come  to 
pass ;  consequently  the  prescience  of  the  Deity  cannot  be 
antecedent  to  his  decrees. 

The  sacred  Scriptures  assert  the  doctrine  of  the  divine 
sovereignty  in  the  clearest  terms.  Rom.  ix.  21.  "  Has 
not  the  potter  power  over  the  clay  of  the  same  lump,  to 
make  one  vessel  unto  honor,  and  another  unto  dishonor  ?" 
See  from  verse  11  to  the  end  of  the  chapter.  The  same 
divine  author  presents  us  with  a  golden  chain  of  salvation 
in  Rom.  viii.  30.  To  the  same  purport  see  Eph.  i.  4. 
Acts  xiii.  48,  and  a  variety  of  other  passages  in  the 
sacred  oracles. 

II.  That  Jesus  Christ,  by  his  death  and  sufferings,  made 
an  atonement  for  the  sins  of  the  elect  only. 

That  is,  that  redemption  is  commensurate  with  the  di- 
vine decree.  Christ  has  absolutely  purchased  grace,  holi- 
ness, and  all  spiritual  blessings  for  his  people. 

For,  if  God  really  intended  the  salvation  of  all  men, 
then  no  man  can  perish.  "  For  the  counsel  of  the  Lord 
standeth  forever."  Psalms  xxxiii.  11.  There  are  ex- 
press texts  of  Scripture  which  testify  that  Christ  did  not 
die  for  all  men.  John  vi.  37.  "  All  that  the  Father 
giveth  me,  shall  come  to  me,  &c."  and  in  John  x.  11, 
Christ  styles  himself,  "  The  good  Shepherd,  who  lays  down 
his  life  for  his  sheep."  This  is  also  implied  in  our  Savi- 
our's limitation  of  his  intercession.  John  xvii.  9. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  195 

To  suppose  that  the  death  of  Christ  procured  only  a 
possibility  of  salvation,  which  depends  upon  our  perfor- 
mance of  certain  conditions,  is  contradictory  to  those  scrip- 
tures which  assert  that  salvation  is  wholly  owing  to  free 
sovereign  grace.  If  Christ  died  for  all,  and  all  are  not 
saved,  the  purposes  of  his  death  are  in  many  instances 
frustrated,  and  he  shed  his  precious  blood  in  vain.  To 
suppose  this  would  be  derogatory  to  the  infinite  perfections 
of  the  great  Redeemer.  Therefore  he  did  not  die  for  all, 
and  all  for  whom  he  died  will  certainly  be  saved. 

III.  That  mankind  are  totally  depraved  in  consequence 
of  the  fall ;  and  by  virtue  of  Adam's  being  their  public 
head,  the  guilt  of  his  sin  was  imputed,  and  a  corrupt  na- 
ture conveyed  to  all  his  posterity,  from  which  proceed  all 
actual   transgressions.      And  that  by  sin  we  are  made 
subject  to  death,  and  all  miseries,  temporal,  spiritual,  and 
eternal. 

For  the  inspired  pages  assert  the  original  depravity  of 
mankind,  in  the  most  emphatical  terms.  Gen.  viii.  21. 
"The  imagination  of  man's  heart  is  evil  from  his  youth." 
Psalm  xiv.  2,  3.  "  The  Lord  looked  down  from  heaven 
upon  the  children  of  men,  to  see  if  there  were  any  that 
did  understand,  and  seek  after  God.  They  are  all  gone 
aside,  they  are  altogether  become  filthy;  there  is  none 
that  doeth  good,  no,  not  one."  To  the  same  purport  see 
Rom.  iii.  10,  11,  12,  &c.  And  it  is  evident,  that  Adam's 
sin  was  imputed  to  his  posterity,  from  Rom.  v.  19.  "  By 
one  man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners,"  &c., 
The  Scriptures  also  teach,  that  all  sin  exposes  us  to  ever- 
lasting destruction.  See  Gal.  iii.  10.  2  Cor.  iii.  6,  7, 
and  Rom.  iv.  14. 

The  total  depravity  of  human  nature  is  also  evident 
from  the  universal  reign  of  death  over  persons  of  all  ages. 
From  the  propensity  to  evil  which  appears  in  mankind, 
and  impels  them  to  transgress  God's  law.  From  the  ne- 
cessity of  regeneration.  The  nature  of  redemption.  And 
the  remains  of  corruption  in  the  saints. 

IV.  That  all  whom  God  has  predestinated  unto  life,  he 


196  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

is  pleased,  in  his  appointed  time,  effectually  to  call  by  his 
word  and  spirit,  out  of  that  estate  of  sin  and  death,  in 
which  they  are  by  nature,  to  grace  and  salvation  by  Je- 
BUS  Christ. 

For  an  irresistible  operation  is  evident  from  those  pas- 
sages in  Scripture,  which  express  the  efficacious  virtue  of 
divine  grace  in  the  conversion  of  sinners.  Eph.  i.  19. 
"  And  what  is  the  exceeding  greatness  of  his  power  to- 
wards us  who  believe,"  &c.  Eph.  ii.  1,  5.  Phil.  ii.  13, 
and  divers  other  passages.  If  there  was  any  thing  in  us 
which  renders  the  grace  of  God  effectual,  we  should  have 
cause  for  boasting ;  but  the  sacred  pages  declaim  against 
this  in  the  most  emphatical  terms.  Rom.  v.  27.  "  Where 
is  boasting  then?  It  is  excluded,"  &c.  See  Titus  iii.  5. 
1  Cor.  i.  31,  and  a  variety  of  other  texts  to  the  same 
purport. 

If  the  free  will  of  man  renders  grace  effectual,  it  may 
be  made  ineffectual  by  the  same  power,  and  so  the  crea- 
ture frustrate  the  designs  of  his  Creator ;  which  is  de- 
rogatory to  the  infinite  perfections  of  that  omnipotent 
Being,  who  worketh  all  things  according  to  the  counsel  of 
his  will. 

Y.  That  those  whom  God  has  effectually  called  and  sanc- 
tified by  his  spirit,  shall  never  finally  fall  from  a  state 
rf  grace. 

For  this  doctrine  is  evident  from  the  promises  of  perse- 
vering grace  in  the  sacred  Scriptures.  Isa.  liv.  10.  "For 
the  mountains  shall  depart,  and  the  hills  be  removed,  but 
my  kindness  shall  not  depart  from  thee,  neither  shall  the 
covenant  of  my  peace  be  removed,  saith  the  Lord,  that 
hath  mercy  on  thee."  See  also  Jer.  xxxii.  38,  40.  John 
iv.  14 ;  vi.  39  ;  x.  28 ;  xi.  26.  And  the  apostle  exclaims 
with  triumphant  rapture,  "I  am  persuaded  that  neither 
life,  nor  death,  &c.,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the 
love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus,  our  Lord."  Rom. 
viii.  38,  39. 

The  perseverance  of  the  saints  is  also  evident  from  the 
immutability  of  the  Deity ;  his  purposes  and  the  reasons 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.          197 

on  which  he  founds  them  are  invariable  as  himself.  With 
him  there  is  no  variableness  or  shadow  of  turning. 
James  i.  17.  The  faithfulness  of  the  Deity  is  ever  dis- 
played in  performing  his  promises ;  but  the  doctrine  of 
falling  from  grace  frustrates  the  design  of  the  promises. 
For  if  one  saint  may  fall,  why  not  another,  and  a  third, 
till  no  sincere  Christians  are  left  ?  But  the  doctrine  of 
the  believer's  perseverance  remains  firm,  as  it  is  supported 
by  the  express  tenor  of  Scripture,  the  immutability  of  the 
Deity,  and  his  faithfulness  in  performing  his  promises. 

These  are  the  five  points  which  distinguish  this  denomi- 
nation from  the  Arminians.  The  Calvinistic  system  also 
includes  in  it,  the  doctrine  of  three  co-ordinate  persons  in 
the  Godhead  forming  one  nature,  and  of  two  natures  in 
Jesus  Christ  forming  one  person.  Justification  by  faith 
alone  and  the  imputed  righteousness  of  Christ  form  an 
essential  part  of  this  system.  They  suppose,  that  on  the 
one  hand,  our  sins  are  imputed  to  Christ,  and  on  the  other, 
that  we  are  justified  by  the  imputation  of  Christ's  right- 
eousness to  us ;  i.  e.  we  the  guilty  are  treated  by  God  as 
righteous  persons,  out  of  regard  to  what  Christ  has  done 
and  suffered ;  who,  though  perfectly  innocent,  was  appoin- 
ted to  suffer  by  the  imputation  of  our  sins  to  him.  The 
Calvinists  suppose  that  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  suffering 
in  the  place  of  sinners  is  strongly  expressed  in  a  variety 
of  passages  in  Scripture.  As  Isa.  liii.  4,  5,  6.  "  He 
has  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sorrows.  He  was 
wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he  was  bruised  for  our 
iniquities,  the  chastisement  of  our  peace  was  upon  him, 
and  with  his  stripes  we  are  healed."  1  Pet.  ii.  25. 
"  Who  himself  bare  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree, 
that  we,  being  dead  unto  sin  should  live  unto  righteous- 
ness." There  are  also  a  number  of  other  texts  to  the  sama 
import. 


198  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 


COCCEIANS. 

A  DENOMINATION  which  arose  in  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury, so  called  from  John  Cocceius,  Professor  of  Divinity 
in  the  University  of  Leyden.  He  represented  the  whole 
history  of  the  Old  Testament  as  a  mirror,  which  held  forth 
an  accurate  view  of  the  transactions  and  events,  that  were 
to  happen  in  the  church  under  the  dispensation  of  the  New 
Testament,  and  unto  the  end  of  the  world.  He  main- 
tained that  by  far  the  greatest  part  of  the  ancient  pro- 
phecies foretold  Christ's  ministry  and  mediation,  and  the 
rise,  progress,  and  revolutions  of  the  church,  not  only 
under  the  figure  of  persons  and  transactions,  but  in  a 
literal  manner,  and  by  the  very  sense  of  the  words  used 
in  these  predictions.  And  laid  it  down  as  a  fundamental 
rule  of  interpretation,  that  the  words  and  phrases  of  Scrip- 
ture are  to  be  understood  in  every  sense  of  which  they  are 
susceptible.  Or,  in  other  words,  that  they  signify  in 
effect  every  thing  that  they  can  possibly  signify. 

Cocceius  also  taught  that  the  covenant  made  between 
God  and  the  Jewish  nation,  by  the  ministry  of  Moses,  was 
of  the  same  nature  of  the  new  covenant,  obtained  by  the 
mediation  of  Jesus  Christ. 

In  consequence  of  this  general  principle,  he  maintained : 
That  the  ten  commandments  were  promulgated  by  Moses, 
not  as  a  rule  of  obedience,  but  as  a  representation  of  the 
covenant  of  grace.  That  when  the  Jews  had  provoked 
the  Deity  by  their  various  transgressions,  particularly  by 
the  worship  of  the  golden  calf,  the  severe  and  servile  yoke 
of  the  ceremonial  law  was  added  to  the  decalogue,  as  a 
punishment  inflicted  on  them  by  the  Supreme  Being  in  his 
righteous  displeasure.  That  this  yoke  which  was  painful 
in  itself,  became  doubly  so  on  account  of  its  typical  signifi- 
cation, since  it  admonished  the  Israelites,  from  day  to  day, 
of  the  imperfection  and  uncertainty  of  their  state,  filled 
them  with  anxiety,  and  was  a  perpetual  proof  that  they 
had  merited  the  righteous  displeasure  of  God,  and  could 


f  the  entire 

remission  of  their  iniquities.  That  indeed  good  men,  even 
under  the  Mosaic  dispensation,  were  immediately  after"" 
death  made  partakers  of  everlasting  glory.  But,  that  they 
were  nevertheless,  during  the  whole  course  of  their  lives, 
far  removed  from  that  firm  hope  and  assurance  of  salva- 
tion, which  rejoices  the  faithful  under  the  dispensation  of 
the  gospel.  And  that  their  anxiety  flowed  naturally  from 
this  consideration,  that  their  sins,  though  they  remain  un- 
punished, were  not  pardoned  ;  because  Christ  had  not,  as 
yet,  offered  himself  up  a  sacrifice  to  the  Father  to  make 
an  entire  atonement  for  them. 


GNOSTICS. 

THIS  denomination  sprang  up  in  the  first  century, 
Several  of  the  disciples  of  Simon  Magus  held  the  principles 
of  his  philosophy,  together  with  the  profession  of  Christi- 
anity, and  were  distinguished  by  the  appellation  of  Gnos- 
tics, from  their  boasting  of  being  able  to  restore  mankind 
to  the  knowledge  of  the  Supreme  Being,  which  had  been, 
lost  in  the  world.  This  party  was  not  conspicuous  for  its 
numbers  or  reputation  before  the  time  of  Adrian.*  It  de- 
rives its  origin  from  the  Oriental  philosophy.  The  doc- 
trine of  a  soul,  distinct  from  the  body,  which  had  pre-ex- 
isted in  an  angelic  state,  and  was,  for  some  offence  com- 
mitted in  that  state,  degraded,  and  confined  to  the  body 
as  a  punishment,  had  been  the  great  doctrine  of  the  eastern 
sages  from  time  immemorial.  Not  being  able  to  conceive 
how  evil  in  so  great  an  extent,  could  be  subservient  to 
good,  they  supposed  that  good  and  evil  have  different 
origins.  So  mixed  a  system  as  this  is,  they  therefore 
thought  to  be  unworthy  of  infinite  wisdom  and  goodness. 
They  looked  upon  matter  as  the  source  of  all  evil,  and 


*  Under  the  general  appellation  of  Gnostics,  are  comprehended  all 
those,  who,  in  the  first  ages  of  Christianity,  blended  the  Oriental  philos- 
ophy with  the  doctrines  of  the  gospel. 


200  HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

argued  in  tliis  manner :  There  are  many  evils  in  this  world 
and  men  seem  impelled,  by  a  natural  instinct,  to  the  prac- 
tice of  those  things  which  reason  condemns  ;  but  that 
eternal  Mind,  from  which  all  spirits  derive  their  existence, 
must  be  inaccessible  to  all  kinds  of  evil,  and  also  of  a  most 
perfect  and  beneficent  nature.  Therefore  the  origin  of 
those  evils,  with  which  the  universe  abounds,  must  be 
sought  somewhere  else  than  in  the  Deity.  It  cannot  re- 
side in  him  who  is  all  perfection ;  therefore,  it  must  be 
without  him.  Now  there  is  nothing  without  or  beyond 
the  Deity  but  matter ;  therefore  matter  is  the  centre  and 
source  of  all  evil  and  of  'all  vice.  Having  taken  for  granted 
these  principles,  they  proceed  further,  and  affirmed  that 
matter  was  eternal,  and  derived  its  present  form,  not  from 
the  will  of  the  supreme  God,  but  from  the  creating  power 
of  some  inferior  intelligence,  to  whom  the  world  and  its 
inhabitants  owed  their  existence.  As  a  proof  of  their 
assertion,  they  alleged  that  it  was  incredible  the  supreme 
Deity,  perfectly  good,  and  infinitely  removed  from  all  evil, 
should  either  create,  or  modify  matter,  which  is  essentially 
malignant  and  corrupt ;  or  bestow  upon  it,  in  any  degree, 
the  riches  of  his  wisdom  and  liberality. 

In  their  system  it  was  generally  supposed  that  all  intel- 
ligences had  only  one  source,  viz.,  the  divine  Mind.  And 
to  help  out  the  doctrine  concerning  the  origin  of  evil,  it 
was  imagined,  that  though  the  divine  Being  himself  was 
essentially  and  perfectly  good,  those  intelligences,  or  spir- 
its, who  were  derived  from  him,,  and  especially  those  who 
were  derived  from  them,  were  capable  of  depravation.  It 
was  further  imagined,  that  the  derivation  of  those  inferior 
intelligent  beings  from  the  Supreme,  was  by  a  kind  of  ef- 
flux or  emanation,  a  part  of  the  substance  being  detached 
from  the  rest,  but  capable  of  being  absorbed  into  it  again.* 


*  The  great  boast  of  the  Gnostics  was  their  doctrine  concerning  tte 
derivation  of  various  intelligences  from  the  Supreme  Mind,  which  they 
thought  to  be  done  by  emanation  or  efflux.  And  as  those  were 
equally  capable  of  producing  other  intelligences  in  the  same  manner 


HISTOKY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  201 

To  those  intelligences  derived  mediately  or  immediately 
from  the  divine  Mind,  the  author  of  this  system  did  not 
scruple  to  give  the  name  of  gods,  thinking  some  of  them 
capab1 .  of  a  power  of  modifying  matter. 

The  oriental  sages  expected  the  arrival  of  an  extraordi- 
nary messenger  of  the  Most  High  upon  earth ;  a  messen- 
ger invested  with  a  divine  authority ;  endowed  with  the 
most  eminent  sanctity  and  wisdom ;  and  peculiarly  ap- 
pointed to  enlighten  with  the  knowledge  of  the  Supreme 
Being,  the  darkened  minds  of  miserable  mortals,  and 
to  deliver  them  from  the  chains  of  the  tyrants  and  usurp- 
ers of  this  world.  When  therefore  some  of  these  philoso- 
phers perceived  that  Christ  and  his  followers  wrought 
miracles  of  the  most  amazing  kind,  and  also  of  the  most 
salutary  nature  to  mankind,  they  were  easily  induced  to 
connect  their  fundamental  doctrines  with  Christianity,  by 
supposing  him  the  great  messenger  expected  from  above, 
to  deliver  men  from  the  power  of  the  malignant  genii,  or 
spirits,  to  whom,  according  to  their  doctrine,  the  world 
was  subjected,  and  to  free  their  souls  from  the  dominion 
of  corrupt  matter.  But  though  they  considered  him  as 
the  Son  of  the  Supreme  God,  sent  from  the  pleroma,  or  habi- 
tation of  the  everlasting  Father,  they  denied  his  divinity, 
looking  upon  him  as  inferior  to  the  Father.  They  rejec- 
ted his  humanity,  upon  the  supposition  that  every  thing 
concrete  and  corporeal  is  in  itself  essentially  and  intrinsi- 
cally evil.  Hence  the  greatest  part  of  the  Gnostics  de- 
nied that  Christ  was  clothed  with  a  real  body,  or  that  he 
suffered  really  for  the  sake  of  mankind,  the  pains  and  sor 
rows  which  he  is  said  to  have  endured  in  the  sacred  history 
They  maintained,  that  he  came  to  mortals  with  no  other 
view,  than  to  deprive  the  tyrants  of  this  world  of  their  in- 
fluence upon  virtuous  and  heaven  born  souls,  and  destroy- 


and  some  of  them  were  male,  and  others  female,  there  was  room  for 
cndhs)  combinations  of  them.  It  is  supposed,  that  the  apostle  Paul, 
when  he  censures  endless  genealogies  and  fables,  has  reference  to  the 
philosophy  of  the  Gnostics. 


202  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

Ing  the  empire  of  these  wicked  spirits,  to  teach  mankinl 
how  they  might  separate  the  divine  mind  from  the  impure 
body,  and  render  the  former  worthy  of  being  united  to 
the  Father  of  spirits. 

Their  persuasion,  that  evil  resided  in  matter,  rendered 
them  unfavorable  to  wedlock ;  and  led  them  to  hold  the 
doctrine  of  the  resurrection  of  the  body  in  great  contempt. 
They  considered  it  as  a  mere  clog  to  the  immortal  soul ; 
and  supposed,  that  nothing  was  meant  by  it,  but  either  a 
moral  change  in  the  minds  of  men,  which  took  place  before 
they  died  ;  or  that  it  signified  the  ascent  of  the  soul  to  its 
proper  abode  in  the  superior  regions,  when  it  was  disen- 
gaged from  its  earthly  encumbrance.  The  notion,  which 
this  denomination  entertained,  that  the  malevolent  genii 
presided  in  nature,  and  that  from  them  proceed  all  dis- 
eases and  calamities,  wars  and  desolations,  induced  them 
to  apply  themselves  to  the  study  of  magic,  to  weaken 
the  powers,  or  suspend  the  influences  of  these  malignant 
agents. 

The  Gnostic 'doctrine  concerning  the  creation  of  the  world 
by  one  or  more  inferior  beings  of  an  evil,  or  at  least  of  an 
imperfect  nature,  led  them  to  deny  the  divine  authority  of 
the  books  of  the  Old  Testament ;  and  when  they  were  chal- 
lenged to  produce  authorities  for  their  doctrines,  some  re- 
ferred to  writings  of  Abraham,  Zoroaster,  Christ,  and  his 
apostles.  Others  boasted  of  their  having  drawn  their 
opinions  from  secret  doctrines  of  Christ.  Others,  that 
they  had  arrived  to  these  degrees  of  wisdom  by  an  innate 
vigor  of  mind.  Others,  that  they  were  introduced  by 
Theudas,  a  disciple  of  St.  Paul,  and  by  Matthias,  one  of 
the  friends  of  our  Lord. 

As  the  Gnostics  were  philosophic  and  speculative  peo- 
ple, and  affected  refinement,  they  did  not  make  much  ac- 
count of  public  worship,  or  of  positive  institutions  of  any 
kind.  They  are  said,  not  to  have  had  any  order  in  their 
churches. 

As  many  of  this  denomination  thought  that  Christ  had 
not  any  real  body,  and  therefore  had  not  any  proper  flesh 


HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  203 

and  "blood,  it  seems  on  this  account,  when  they  used  to 
celebrate  the  Eucharist,  they  did  not  make  any  use  of 
wine,  which  represents  the  blood  of  Christ,  but  of  water 
only. 

We  have  fewer  accounts  of  what  they  thought  or  did 
with  respect  to  baptism,  but  it  seems  that  some  of  them  at 
least  disused  it.  And  it  is  said,  that  some  abstained  from 
the  Eucharist,  and  from  prayer. 

The  greatest  part  of  this  denomination  adopted  rules  of 
life,  which  were  full  of  austerity,  recommending  a  strict 
and  rigorous  abstinence,  and  prescribed  the  most  severe 
bodily  mortifications,  from  a  notion,  that  they  had  a  happy 
influence  in  purifying  and  enlarging  the  mind,  and  in  dis- 
posing it  for  the  contemplation  of  celestial  things.  That 
some  of  the  Gnostics,  in  consequence  of  making  no  account 
of  the  body,  might  think,  that  there  was  neither  good  nor 
evil  in  any  thing  relating  to  it,  and  therefore  supposed 
themselves  at  liberty  to  indulge  in  any  sensual  excesses,  is 
not  impossible ;  though  it  is  more  probable,  that  every 
thing  of  this  nature  would  be  greatly  exaggerated  by  the 
enemies  of  this  denomination. 

The  Egyptian  Gnostics  are  distinguished  from  the  Asia- 
tic, by  the  following  difference  in  their  religious  system  : 

I.  That  besides  the  existence  of  a  Deity,  they  maintained 
that  also  of  an  eternal  matter,  endued  with  life  and  mo- 
tion, yet  they  did  not  acknowledge  an  eternal  principle 
of  darkness,  or  the  evil  principle  of  the  Persians. 

II.  They  supposed  that  our  blessed  Saviour  was  a  com- 
pound of  two  persons,  of  the  man  Jesus,  and  of  Christ  the 
Son   of  God;    that  the   divine  nature   entered  into  the 
man  Jesus,  when  he  was  baptized  by  John  in  the  river 
Jordan,  and  departed  from  him,  when  he  was  seized  by 
the  Jews. 

III.  They  attributed  to  Christ  a  real,  not  an  imaginary 
body. 

IV.  Their  discipline,  with  respect  to  life  and  manners, 
much  less  severe  than  that  of  the  Asiatic  sect. 


204  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 


SOCINIANS. 

A  DENOMINATION  which  appeared  in  the  sixteenth,  cen- 
tury, and  embraced  the  opinions  of  Lelius  Socinus,  a  man 
of  uncommon  genius  and  learning;  and  of  Faustus  So- 
cinus, his  nephew,  who  propagated  his  uncle's  sentiments 
in  a  public  manner  after  his  death. 

The  principal  tenets  maintained  by  this  denomination 
are  as  follow :  to  which  are  added  a  few  of  the  arguments 
they  use  in  defence  of  their  sentiments. 

That  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  to  be  understood  and  ex- 
plained in  such  a  manner,  as  to  render  them  conformable 
to  the  dictates  of  reason. 

In  consequence  of  this  leading  point  in  their  theology, 
they  maintain,  that  God,  who  is  infinitely  more  perfect 
than  man,  though  of  a  similar  nature  in  some  respects,  ex- 
erted an  act  of  that  power  by  which  he  governs  all  things ; 
in  consequence  of  which,  an  extraordinary  person  was 
born  of  the  Virgin  Mary.  That  person  was  Jesus  Christ, 
whom  God  first  translated  to  heaven  by  that  portion 
of  his  divine  power  which  is  called  the  Holy  Ghost  ;*  and 
having  instructed  him  fully  in  the  knowledge  of  his  coun- 
sels and  designs,  sent  him  again  into  this  sublunary  world, 
to  promulgate  to  mankind  a  new  rule  of  life,  more  excel- 
lent than  that  under  which  they  had  formerly  lived,  to 
propagate  divine  truth  by  his  ministry,  and  to  confirm  it 
by  his  death. 

*  Socinus  and  some  of  his  followers  entertained  a  notion,  of  Christ's 
having  been  in  some  unknown  time  of  his  life,  taken  up  personally  into 
heaven,  and  sent  down  again  to  the  earth,  which  was  the  way  in  which 
they  solved  these  expressions  concerning  him  :  John  iii.  13.  "  No  man 
has  ascended  to  heaven,  but  he  that  came  down  from  heaven,  even  the 
Son  of  man,  which  is  in  heaven/'  Thus  Moses  who  was  the  type  of 
Christ,  before  the  promulgation  of  the  law,  ascended  to  God  upon 
Mount  Sinai.  So  Christ,  before  he  entered  on  the  office  assigned  him 
by  the  Father,  was,  in  consequence  of  the  divine  counsel  and  agency, 
translated  into  heaven,  that  he  might  see  the  things  he  had  to  announce 
to  the  world  in  the  name  of  God  himself. 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  206 

That  those  who  obey  the  voice  of  this  divine  teacher 
(and  tkxS  obedience  is  in  the  power  of  every  one  whose  will 
and  inclination  leads  that  way)  shall,  one  day,  be  clothed 
with  new  bodies,  and  inhabit,  eternally,  those  blessed  re- 
gions, where  God  himself  immediately  resides.  Such,  on 
the  contrary,  as  are  disobedient  and  rebellious,  shall  un- 
dergo most  terrible  and  exquisite  torments,  which  shall  be 
'bucceeded  by  annihilation,  or  the  total  extinction  of  their 
being. 

The  above  is  an  account  of  the  religious  tenets  of  Soci- 
nus,  and  his  immediate  followers.  Those  at  the  present 
day,  who  maintain  the  mere  humanity  of  Christ,  differ 
from  Socinus  in  many  things ;  particularly  in  not  paying 
religious  worship  to  Jesus  Christ,  which  was  a  point  that 
Faustus  Socinus  vehemently  insisted  on,  though  he  con- 
sidered Christ  as  a  man  only,  with  divine  powers  confer- 
red upon  him.  He  supposed,  that  in  condescension  to 
human  weakness,  in  order  that  mankind  might  have  one 
of  their  own  brethren  more  upon  a  level  with  them,  tc 
whom  they  might  have  resource  in  their  straits  and  neces- 
sities, Almighty  God,  for  his  eminent  virtues,  had  con- 
ferred upon  Jesus  Christ,  the  son  of  Mary,  some  years 
after  he  was  born,  a  high  divine  power,  lordship,  and  do- 
minion, for  the  government  of  the  Christian  world  only ; 
and  had  qualified  him  to  hear  and  answer  the  prayers  of 
his  followers,  in  such  matters  as  related  to  the  cause  of 
the  gospel.  The  chief  foundation  on  which  Socinus 
founded  the  opinion  of  Christ's  being  an  object  of  religious 
worship,  was :  the  declarations  in  the  Scriptures  concerning 
the  kingdom  and  power  bestowed  upon  Christ ;  the  inter- 
pretation which  he  put  on  those  passages  which  speak  of 
angels  and  heavenly  powers  being  put  under  him  and  wor- 
shiping him;  his  having  a  knowledge  of  the  secret 
thoughts  of  men  imparted  to  him,  and  the  like,  which  with 
some  presumed  instances  of  the  fact,  of  prayer  being  ac- 
tually made  to  him,  he  maintained  to  be  a  sufficient, 
tliou^i  indirect,  signification  of  the  divine  will,  that  men 
uoul 7  invoke  Christ  by  prayer.  But  he  constantly  ac- 


HISTORY    OF   ALL  EELIGIONS. 

knowledged,  that  there  was  no  express  precept  for  making 
him  an  object  of  religious  worship. 

Socinus  allowed  that  the  title  of  true  God  might  bo 
given  to  Christ ;  though  all  he  meant  by  it  was,  that  he 
had  a  real  divine  power  and  dominion  bestowed  upon  him, 
to  qualify  him  to  take  care  of  the  concerns  of  Christians, 
and  to  hear  and  answer  their  prayers,  though  he  was  origi- 
nally nothing  more  than  a  human  creature. 

There  were  some  among  the  early  Socinians,  who  disap- 
proved and  rejected  the  worship  paid  to  Christ,  as  being 
without  any  foundation  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  the  only 
rule  of  a  Christian's  faith  and  worship. 

At  present  it  is  agreed,  both  by  Arians  and  Socinians, 
that  the  Supreme  God  in  one  person  is  the  only  object  of 
prayer. 

Socinus  was  a  strict  Pelagian,  in  his  sentiments  respect- 
ing human  nature. 

This  denomination  differs  from  the  Arians,  in  the  follow- 
ing particulars : 

The  Socinians  assert,  that  Christ  was  simply  a  man, 
and  consequently,  had  no  existence  before  his  birth  and 
appearance  in  this  world. 

The  Arians  maintain,  that  Christ  was  a  super-angelic 
being,  united  to  a  human  body.  That  though  he  was  him- 
self created,  he  was  the  creator  of  all  other  things  under 
God,  and  the  instrument  of  all  the  divine  communications 
to  the  patriarchs. 

The  Socinians  say,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  power 
and  wisdom  of  God,  which  is  God. 

The  Arians  suppose,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  is  the  crea- 
ture of  the  Son,  and  subservient  to  him  in  the  work  of  re- 
demption. 

SEIIVETIANS. 

A  NAME  which,  in  the  16th  century,  distinguished  the 
followers  of  Michael  Servetus,  a  Spaniard  by  birth.  Ho 
taught  that  the  Deity,  before  the  creation  of  the  world, 
had  produced  within  himself  two  personal  representations, 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  207 

or  manners  of  existence,  which  were  to  be  the  medium  of 
intercourse  between  him  and  mortals,  and  by  whom,  con- 
sequently, he  was  to  reveal  his  will,  and  to  display  his 
mercy  and  beneficence  to  the  children  of  men.  That  these 
tw-D  representatives  were  the  Word  and  the  Holy  Ghost — 
that  the  former  was  united  to  the  man  Christ,  who  was 
born  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  by  an  omnipotent  act  of  the  di- 
vine will;  and  that,  on  this  account,  Christ  might  be 
properly  called  God — that  the  Holy  Spirit  directed  the 
course,  and  animated  the  whole  system  of  nature;  and 
more  especially  produced  in  the  minds  of  men,  wise  coun- 
sels, virtuous  propensities,  and  divine  feelings.  And 
finally,  that  these  two  representations  were  to  cease  after 
the  destruction  of  this  terrestrial  globe,  and  to  be  absorbed 
into  the  substance  of  the  Deity,  whence  they  had  been 
formed. 


NECESSARIANS. 

LEIBNITZ,  a  celebrated  German  philosopher,  who  was 
born  in  the  year  1646,  is  a  distinguished  writer  on  this 
subject.  He  attempted  to  give  Calvinism  a  more  pleasing 
and  philosophical  aspect.  He  considered  the  multiplicity 
of  worlds,  which  compose  the  universe,  as  one  system  or 
whole,  whose  greatest  possible  perfection  is  the  ultimate  end 
of  creating  goodness,  and  the  sovereign  purpose  of  govern- 
ing wisdom.  As  the  Leibnians  laid  down  this  great  end, 
as  the  supreme  object  of  God's  universal  dominion,  and 
the  scope  to  which  all  his  dispensations  were  directed,  they 
concluded,  that  if  this  end  was  proposed,  it  must  be  ac- 
complished. Hence  the  doctrine  of  necessity,  to  fulfill  the 
purposes  of  predestination  founded  on  wisdom  and  good- 
ness ;  a  necessity  physical  and  mechanical  in  the  motions 
of  material  and  inanimate  things ;  but  a  necessity  moral 
and  spiritual  in  the  voluntary  determinations  of  intelligent 
beings,  in  consequence  of  prepollent  motives,  which  pro- 
duce their  effects  with  certainty,  though  those  effects  are 


208  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

contingent,  and  by  no  means  the  offspring  of  an  absolute 
and  essentially  immutable  fatality.* 

Mr.  Leibnitz  observes,  that,  if  it  be  said,  that  the  world 
might  have  been  without  sin  and  misery,  such  a  world 
would  not  have  been  the  best.  For  all  things  are  linked 
together  in  each  possible  world.  The  universe,  whatever 
it  may  be,  is  all  of  a  piece,  like  an  ocean ;  the  least  motion 
produces  its  effect  to  any  distance,  though  the  effect  be- 
comes less  sensible  in  proportion  to  the  distance.  God 
having  settled  every  thing  beforehand,  once  for  all,  having 
foreseen  good  and  evil  actions,  &c.,  every  thing  did  ideally 
contribute,  before  its  existence,  to  his  creating  plan ;  so 
that  no  alteration  can  be  made  in  the  universe,  any  more 
than  in  a  number,  without  destroying  its  essence,  or  its 
numerical  individuality.  And  therefore  if  the  least  evil 
which  happens  in  the  world  was  wanting,  it  would  not  be 
the  world,  which  all  things  duly  considered,  the  all-wise 
Creator  has  chosen  and  accounted  the  best. 

Colors  are  heightened  by  shadows,  and  a  dissonance, 
well  placed,  renders  harmony  more  beautiful.  We  desire 
to  be  frightened  by  rope-dancers  who  are  ready  to  fall; 
and  to  shed  tears  at  the  representation  of  a  tragedy. 
Does  any  one  sufficiently  relish  the  happiness  of  good 
health,  that  has  never  been  sick  ?  Is  it  not  most  times 
necessary,  that  a  little  evil  should  render  a  good  more 
sensible,  and  consequently  greater  ? 

The  Edwardean  scheme  of  moral  necessity  is  as  follows  : 

That  the  will  is,  in  every  case,  necessarily  determined 
by  the  strongest  motives ;  and  that  this  moral  necessity 
may  be  as  absolute  as  natural  necessity ;  i.  e.  a  moral  ef- 
fect may  be  as  perfectly  connected  with  its  moral  cause, 
as  a  naturally  necessary  effect  is  with  its  natural  cause. 

President  Edwards  rejects  the  notion  of  liberty,  as  im- 

*  Augustine.  Leibnitz,  and  a  considerable  number  of  modern  philoso- 
phers who  maintain  the  doctrine  of  necessity,  consider  this  uecessity 
in  racial  actions  as  consistent  with  spontaneity  and  choice.  Accord 
ing  tc  them,  constraint  alone,  and  external  force,  destroy  merit  and 
imputation. 


HISTORY   OF   ALL  RELIGIONS.  209 

J>iying  any  self-determining  power  in  the  will,  any  indiffer- 
ence or  contingency ;  and  defines  liberty  to  be  the  power, 
opportunity,  and  advantage,  which  any  one  has  to  do  as 
he  pleases.  This  liberty  is  supposed  to  be  consistent  with, 
moral  certainty,  or  necessity. 

He  supports  his  scheme  by  the  connection  between  cause 
and  effect — by  God's  certain  foreknowledge  of  the  volitions 
of  moral  agents,  which  is  supposed  to  be  inconsistent  with 
such  a  contingence  of  those  volitions,  as  excludes  all  neces- 
sity. He  shows  that  God's  moral  excellence  is  necessary, 
yet  virtuous  and  praise-worthy — that  the  acts  of  the  will 
of  the  human  soul  of  Christ  are  necessarily  holy,  yet  virtu- 
ous, praise-worthy,  and  rewardable — and  that  the  moral 
inability  of  sinners,  consisting  in  depravity  of  heart,  instead 
of  excusing,  constitutes  their  guilt. 

Lord  Kames  has  the  following  idea  of  necessity : 

That,  comparing  together  the  moral  and  material  world, 
every  thing  is  as  much  the  result  of  established  laws  in  the 
one  as  in  the  other.  There  is  nothing  in  the  whole  uni- 
verse, which  can  properly  be  called  contingent ;  but  every 
motion  in  the  material,  and  every  determination  and  actioa 
in  the  moral  world,  are  directed  by  immutable  laws  ;  so 
that  while  those  laws  remain  in  force,  not  the  smallest  link 
in  the  chain  of  causes  and  effects  can  be  broken,  nor  any 
one  thing  be  otherwise  than  it  is. 

That  as  man  must  act  with  consciousness  and  spontane- 
ity, it  is  necessary  that  he  should  have  some  sense  of  things 
possible  and  contingent.  Hence  the  Deity  has  wisely  im- 
planted a  delusive  sense  of  liberty  in  the  mind  of  man ; 
which  fits  him  to  fulfill  the  ends  of  action  to  better  advan- 
tage, than  he  could  do,  if  he  knew  the  necessity  which 
really  attends  him. 

Lord  Kames  observes,  that  in  the  material  world,  it  is 
found,  that  the  representations  of  external  objects,  and 
their  qualities,  conveyed  by  the  senses,  differ  sometimes 
from  what  philosophy  discovers  these  objects  and  their 
qualities  to  be.  Were  man  endowed  with  a  microscopic 
oye,  the  bodies  which  surround  him  would  appear  as  differ- 
14 


210  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

ent  from  what  they  do  at  present,  as  if  lie  was  transported 
into  another  world.  His  ideas,  upon  that  supposition, 
would  be  more  agreeable  to  strict  truth,  but  they  would  be 
far  less  serviceable  in  common  life. 

Analogous  to  this,  in  the  moral  world,  the  Deity  has 
implanted  in  mankind  the  delusive  notion  of  liberty  or  indif- 
ference, that  they  may  be  led  to  the  proper  exercise  of  that 
activity,  for  which  they  were  designed. 

The  Baron  de  Montesquieu,  in  his  Persian  Letters,  ob- 
serves, that  as  God  makes  his  creatures  act  just  according 
to  his  own  will,  he  knows  every  thing  he  thinks  fit  to  know. 
But  though  it  is  in  his  power  to  see  every  thing,  yet  he 
does  not  always  make  use  of  that  power.  He  generally 
leaves  his  creatures  at  liberty  to  act,  or  not  act,  that  they 
may  have  room  to  be  guilty  or  innocent.  In  this  view  he 
renounces  his  right  of  acting  upon  his  creatures,  and  direct- 
ing their  resolutions.  But  when  he  chooses  to  know  any 
thing,  he  always  does  know  it ;  because  he  need  only  will 
that  it  shall  happen  as  he  sees  it ;  and  direct  the  resolu- 
tions of  his  creatures  according  to  his  will.  Thus  he 
fetches  the  things,  which  shall  happen,  from  among  those 
which  are  merely  possible,  by  fixing  by  his  decrees  the  fu- 
ture determinations  of  the  minds  of  his  creatures;  and 
depriving  them  of  the  power  of  acting,  or  not  acting,  which 
he  has  bestowed  upon  them. 

If  we  may  presume  to  make  comparison  of  a  thing, 
which  is  above  all  comparison,  a  monarch  does  not  know 
what  his  ambassador  will  do  in  an  affair  of  importance.  If 
he  thinks  fit  to  know  it,  he  need  only  give  him  directions 
to  behave  so  and  so ;  and  he  may  be  assured  he  will  follow 
his  directions. 

President  Edwards  makes  the  following  distinction  be- 
tween his,  and  Lord  Kame's  ideas  of  necessity  : 

I.  Lord  Kames  supposes,  that  such  a  necessity  takes 
place  with  respect  to  all  men's  actions,  as  is  inconsistent 
with  liberty.  Edwards  maintains,  that  the  moral  neces- 
sity, which  universally  takes  place,  is  not  inconsistent 


HISTORY   OP  ALL   RELIGIONS.  211 

with  the  utmost  liberty,  which  can  be  defined,  or  con- 
ceived. 

II.  Kames  seems  every  where  to  suppose,  that  neces- 
sity, properly  so  called,  attends  all  men's  actions;  and  that 
the  terms  "unavoidable,"  "impossible,"  &c.,  are  equally 
applicable  to  the  case  of  moral  and  natural  necessity. 

Edwards  maintains,  that  such  a  necessity  as  attends  the 
acts  of  men's  wills,  can  with  more  propriety  be  called  cer- 
tainty ;  it  being  no  other,  than  the  certain  connection  be- 
tween the  subject  and  predicate  of  the  proposition,  which 
affirms  their  existence. 

III.  Kames  supposes,  that  if  mankind  could  clearly  see 
the  real  necessity  of  their  actions,  they  would  not  appear 
to  themselves,  or  others,  praiseworthy,  culpable,  or  ac- 
countable for  their  actions. 

Edwards  maintains,  that  moral  necessity,  or  certainty,  is 
perfectly  consistent  with  praise  and  blame,  rewards  and 
punishments. 

Lord  Kames  agrees  with  president  Edwards,  in  suppos- 
ing, that  praise  or  blame  rests  ultimately  on  the  disposi- 
tion, or  frame  of  mind. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Dawson  in  a  late  pamphlet  entitled,  The 
Necessarian,  or  the  Question  concerning  Liberty  and 
Necessity  stated  and  discussed,  endeavors  to  prove,  that 
the  will  is  determined  by  motives.  He  accounts,  however, 
every  act,  which  proceeds  not  from  mechanical  force,  a 
voluntary  act.  Every  voluntary  act  he  calls  a  free  act, 
because  it  proceeds  from  the  will,  from  the  man  himself. 
But  calls  that  voluntary  act  necessary,  in  conformity  to 
their  idea  of  necessity,  who,  on  supposition  of  the  wilFs 
being  determined  by  motives,  will  not  allow  it  to  be  free, 
though  voluntary.  Having  established  this  species  of 
necessity,  he  endeavors  to  show  that  free  will  leaves  no 
foundation  for  attributing  merit,  or  demerit,  to  the  agent. 
And,  that  on  the  contrary,  the  doctrine  of  necessity  does 
that,  which  the  doctrine  of  free  will  does  not.  By  leaving 
the  foundation  of  morality  secure,  it  leaves  a  foundation 
for  merit  and  demerit,  viz.,  the  moral  nature  of  actions. 


212  HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

The  morality  of  an  action  is  its  motive.  That,  whicn 
gives  the  action  its  moral  quality,  gives  it  at  the  same 
time  its  worth,  or  merit.  But  on  the  doctrine  of  free  will 
there  can  be  no  foundation  for  attributing  merit,  or  demerit, 
to  the  agent,  because  it  destroys  all  distinctions  between 
actions ;  good  and  bad  being  terms  without  a  meaning, 
when  applied  to  actions  without  a  moral  motive. 

As  in  the  account  of  Dr.  Priestley's  sentiments,  the 
manner  in  which  that  celebrated  author  distinguishes  his 
scheme  of  philosophical  necessity  from  the  Calvinistic  doc- 
trine of  predestination  is  inserted,  perhaps  those,  who  are 
fond  of  speculating  on  this  subject,  will  be  gratified,  by 
being  presented,  on  the  other  hand,  with  the  following 
distinction,  which  the  Rev.  Mr.  Emmons  of  Franklin  has 
made  between  the  Calvinistic  idea  of  necessity,  and  Dr. 
Priestley's. 

It  has  long  been  a  subject  of  controversy  among  Armin- 
ians  and  Calvinists,  whether  moral  agents  can  act  of  neces- 
sity. Upon  this  subject,  Dr.  Priestley  takes  the  Calvin- 
istic side,  and  labors  to  prove  the  doctrine  of  necessity 
upon  the  general  principle,  that  no  effect  can  exist  without 
a  cause.  His  train  of  reasoning  runs  very  much  in  this 
form :  Every  volition  must  be  an  effect ;  every  effect  must 
have  a  cause;  every  cause  must  necessarily  produce  its 
effect ;  therefore  every  volition,  as  well  as  every  other 
effect,  must  be  necessary.  But  though  he  agrees  with 
Calvinists  in  their  first  principle,  and  general  mode  of 
reasoning  ;  yet,  in  one  very  capital  point,  he  differs  from 
them  totally.  For  he  maintains,  that  motives,  which  are 
the  cause  of  volitions,  must  operate  mechanically,  which, 
they  suppose,  totally  destroys  the  freedom  of  the  will. 
He  is  obliged  to  maintain  the  mechanical  operation  of 
motives,  by  his  maintaining  the  materiality  of  the  soul. 
If  the  soul  is  material,  the  natural  conclusion  is,  that  mo- 
tives must  act  upon  it,  by  a  mechanical  operation.  This 
conclusion,  he  owns,  he  means  to  draw  from  the  doctrine 
of  materialism.  In  the  preface  to  his  illustrations  of 
philosophical  necessity,  he  says,  "  Every  thing  belonging 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  213 

to  the  doctrine  of  materialism  is,  in  fact,  an  argument  for 
the  doctrine  of  necessity ;  and,  consequently,  the  doctrine 
of  necessity  is  a  direct  inference  from  materialism." 

JANSENISTS. 

A  DENOMINATION  of  Roman  Catholics  in  France,  which 
was  formed  in  the  year  1640.  They  follow  the  opinions 
of  Jansenius,  bishop  of  Ypres,  from  whose  writings  the 
following  propositions  are  said  to  have  been  extracted  : 

I.  That  there  are  divine  precepts,  which  good  men,  not- 
withstanding their  desire  to  observe  them,  are,  nevertheless, 
absolutely  unable  to  obey  ;  nor  has  God  given  them  that 
measure  of  grace,  which  is  essentially  necessary  to  render 
them  capable  of  such  obedience. 

II.  That  no  person,  in  this  corrupt  state  of  nature,  can 
resist  the  influence  of  divine  grace,  when  it  operates  upon 
the  mind. 

III.  That  in  order  to  render  human  actions  meritorious, 
it  is  not  requisite  that  they  be  exempt  from  necessity,  but 
that  they  be  free  from  constraint. 

IV.  That  the   Semi-Pelagians  err  greatly  in  maintain- 
ing that  the  human  will  is  endowed  with  the  power  of 
either  receiving,  or  resisting  the  aids  and  influences  of 
preventing  grace. 

V.  That  whoever  affirms,  that  Jesus  Christ  made  expia- 
tion, by  his  sufferings  and  death,  for  the  sins  of  all  man- 
kind, is  a  Semi-Pelagian. 

This  denomination  was  also  distinguished  from  many  of 
the  Roman  Catholics,  by  their  maintaining  that  the  Holy 
Scriptures  and  public  Liturgies  should  be  offered  to  the 
perusal  of  the  people  in  their  mother  tongue.  And  they 
look  upon  it  as  a  matter  of  the  highest  moment  to  persuade 
all  Christians,  that  true  piety  does  not  consist  in  the  per- 
formance of  external  acts  of  devotion,  but  in  inward  holi- 
ness and  divine  love. 


214  HISTORY   OF  ALL  KELIGIONS. 


JESUITS. 

A  FAMOUS  religious  order  in  the  Romish  church,  estab- 
lished in  the  year  1540,  under  the  name  of  the  company 
of  Jesus. 

Ignio,  or  Ignatius  Loyola,  a  Spanish  gentleman  of  illus- 
trious rank,  was  the  founder  of  this  order,  which  has  made 
a  most  rapid  and  astonishing  progress  through  the  world. 

The  doctrinal  points  which  are  ascribed  to  the  Jesuits, 
in  distinction  from  many  others  of  the  Roman  communion, 
are  as  follows : 

I.  This  order  maintain,  that  the  pope  is  infallible — 
that  he  is  the  only  visible  source  of  that  universal  and 
unlimited  power  which  Christ  has  granted  to  the  church — 
that  all  bishops  and  subordinate  rulers  derive  from  him 
alone  the  authority  and  jurisdiction  with  which  they  are 
invested  ;  and  that  he  alone  is  the  supreme  law-giver  of 
that  sacred  community ;  a  law-giver  whose  edicts  and  com- 
mands it  is,  in  the  highest  degree,  criminal  to  oppose,  or 
disobey. 

II.  They  comprehend  within  the  limits  of  the  church, 
not  only  many  who  live  separate  from  the  communion  of 
Rome,  but  even  extend  the  inheritance  of  eternal  salva- 
tion to  nations  that  have  not  the  least  knowledge  of  the 
Christian  religion,  or  of  its  divine  author ;  and  consider 
as  true  members  of  the  church,  open  transgressors  who 
profess  its  doctrines. 

III.  The  Jesuits  maintain,  that  human  nature  is  far 
from  being  deprived  of  all  power  of  doing  good — that  the 
succors  of  grace  are  administered  to  all  mankind  in  a  mea- 
sure sufficient  to  lead  them  to  eternal  life  and  salvation — 
that  the  operations  of  grace  offer  no  violence  to  the  fac- 
ulties and  powers  of  nature,  and  therefore  may  be  resisted 
— and  that  God  from  all  eternity  has  appointed  everlast- 
ing rewards  and  punishments,  as  the  portion  of  men  in  a 
future  world,  not  by  an  absolute,  arbitrary,  and  uncondi- 
tional decree,  but  in  consequence  of  that  divine  and  un- 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  215 

limited  prescience  by  which  he  foresaw  the  actions,  merits, 
and  characters  of  every  individual. 

IY.  They  represent  it  as  a  matter  of  perfect  indiffer- 
ence from  what  motives  men  obey  the  laws  of  God,  pro- 
vided these  laws  are  really  obeyed.  And  maintain,  that 
the  service  of  those  who  obey  from  the  fear  of  punishment, 
is  as  agreeable  to  the  Deity,  as  those  actions  which  pro- 
ceed from  a  principle  of  love  to  him  and  his  laws. 

V.  They  maintain,  that  the  sacraments  have  in  them^ 
selves  an  instrumental  and  efficient  power,  by  virtue  of 
which  they  work  in  the  soul  (independently  of  its  previous 
preparation  or  propensities)  a  disposition  to  receive  the 
divine  grace. 

VI.  The  Jesuits  recommend  a  devout  ignorance  to  such 
as  submit  to  their  direction,  and  think  a  Christian  suffi- 
ciently instructed,  when  he  has  learned  to  yield  a  blind 
and  unlimited  obedience  to  the  orders  of  the  Church. 

The  following  maxims  are  said  to  be  extracted  from  the 
moral  writings  of  this  order : 

I.  That  persons  truly  wicked,  and  void  of  the  love  of 
God,  may  expect  to  obtain  eternal  life  in  heaven,  provided 
that  they  be  impressed  with  a  fear  of  the  divine  anger, 
and  avoid  all  heinous  and  enormous  crimes,  through  the 
dread  of  future  punishment. 

II.  That  those  persons  may  transgress  with  safety,  who 
have  a  probable  reason  for  transgressing,  i.  e.  any  plausi- 
ble argument  or  authority  in  favor  of  the  sin  they  are  in- 
clined to  commit. 

III.  That  actions  intrinsically  evil,  and  directly  con- 
trary to  the  divine  law,  may  be  innocently  performed  by 
those  who  have  so  much  power  over  their  own  minds  as  to 
join,  even  ideally,  a  good  end  to  this  wicked  action. 

IV.  That  philosophical  sin  is  of  a  very  light  and  trivial 
nature,  and  does  not  deserve  the  pains  of  hell. 

V.  That   the   transgressions   committed   by   a   person 
blinded  by  the  seductions  of  tumultuous  passions,  and  des- 
titute of  all  sense  and  impression  of  religion,  however  de- 
testable and  heinous  they  may  be  in  themselves,  are  not 


216  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

imputable  to  the  transgressor  before  the  tribunal  of  God; 
and  that  such  transgressions  may  be  often  as  involuntary 
as  the  actions  of  a  madman. 

VI.  That  the  person  who  takes  an  oath,  or  enters  intc 
a  contract,  may,  to  elude  the  force  of  the  one  and  obliga 
tion  of  the  other,  add  to  the  form  of  the  words  that  ex 
press  them  certain  mental  additions  and  tacit  reservation* 

This  entire  society  is  composed  of  four  sorts  of  members 
viz.  Novices,  Scholars,  spiritual  and  temporal  Coadjutors,, 
and  professed  Members.  Beside  the  three  ordinary  vows 
of  poverty,  chastity,  and  obedience,  which  are  common  to 
all  the  monastic  tribes,  the  professed  Members  are  obliged 
to  take  a  fourth,  by  which  they  solemnly  bind  themselves 
to  go,  without  deliberation  or  delay,  wherever  the  Pope 
shall  think  fit  to  send  them.  They  are  governed  by  a 
General,  who  has  four  Assistants. 

SHAKERS. 

THE  first  persons  who  acquired  this  epithet  were  Europe- 
ans ;  a  part  of  whom  came  from  England  to  New  York,  in 
the  year  1774,  and  being  joined  by  others,  they  settled  at 
Niskyuna,  above  Albany ;  whence  they  have  spread  their 
doctrines,  and  increased  to  a  considerable  number. 

Anne  Lee,  whom  they  styled  the  Elect  Lady,  was  the 
head  of  this  party.  They  assert,  that  she  was  the  woman 
spoken  of  in  the  twelfth  chapter  of  Revelation ;  and  that 
she  spoke  seventy-two  tongues:  and  though  those  tongues 
are  unintelligible  to  the  living,  she  conversed  with  the 
dead,  who  understood  her  language.  They  add  further, 
that  she  was  the  mother  of  all  the  elect ;  that  she  travailed 
for  the  whole  world ;  and  that  no  blessing  can  descend 
to  any  person,  but  only  by  and  through  her,  and  that  in 
the  way  of  her  being  possessed  of  their  sins,  by  their  con- 
fessing and  repenting  of  them,  one  by  one,  according  to 
her  direction. 

The  tenets  which  are  peculiarly  distinguishing  to  this 
denomination,  are  comprised  in  seven  articles.  To  which 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.        -*•  217 

is  added  a  short  specimen  of  their  manner  of  defending 
their  religious  sentiments : 

I.  That  the  first  resurrection  is  already  come,  and  now 
Ls  the  time  to  judge  themselves. 

II.  That  they  have  power  to  heal  the  sick,  to  raise  the 
dead,  and  to  cast  out  devils. 

This,  they  say,  is  performed  by  the  preaching  of  the 
word  of  God,  when  it  is  attended  with  the  divine  power, 
the  wonderful  energy  and  operation  of  the  Holy  Spirit ; 
which  performs  those  things,  by  healing  the  broken-hearted, 
by  raising  up  those,  who  are  dead  in  trespasses  and  sins, 
to  a  life  of  holiness  and  righteousness,  which  causes  the 
devils  to  be  cast  out.  Matt.  x.  8. 

III.  That  they  have  a  correspondence  with  angels,  the 
spirits  of  the  saints,  and  their  departed  friends. 

This  they  attempt  to  prove,  from  1  Cor.  xii.  8, 10.  "  There 
are  diversities  of  gifts,  but  the  same  spirit.  To  some  is 
given  the  word  of  wisdom,  to  some  prophecy,  to  some  the 
discerning  of  Spirits." 

IV.  That  they  speak  with  divers  kind  of  tongues  in 
their  public  assemblies. 

This,  they  think,  is  done  by  the  divine  power  and  in- 
fluence of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

V.  That  it  is  lawful  to  practice  vocal  music  with  dan- 
cing, in  the  Christian  churches,  if  it  be  practiced  in  prais- 
ing the  Lord. 

VI.  That  their  Church  is  come  out  of  the  order  of  na- 
tural generation,  to  be  as  Christ  was ;  and  that  those  who 
have  wives  be  as  though  they  had  none.     That  by  these 
means  heaven  begins  upon  earth,  and  they  hereby  lose 
their  earthly  and  sensual  relation  to  Adam  the  first,  and 
come  to  be  transparent  in  their  ideas  in  the  bright  and 
heavenly  visions  of  God. 

They  suppose,  that  some  of  their  people  are  of  the  num- 
ber "of  the  one  hundred  and  forty-four  thousand  who 
were  redeemed  from  the  earth,  that  were  not  defiled  with 
women." 

VII.  That  the  word  "everlasting,"  when  applied  to  the 


218  HISTORY  OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

punishment  of  the  wicked,  refers  only  to  a  limited  space 
of  time,  excepting  in  the  case  of  those  who  fall  from  their 
Church ;  but  for  such  "  there  is  no  forgiveness,  neither  in 
this  world,  nor  in  that  which  is  to  come." 

They  quote  Matt.  xii.  32,  to  prove  this  doctrine. 

This  denomination  maintain,  that  it  is  unlawful  to  swear, 
game,  or  use  compliments  to  each  other ;  and  that  water- 
baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  are  abolished. 

They  deny  the  imputation  of  Adam's  sin  to  his  poster- 
ity, and  the  doctrine  of  election,  and  reprobation. 

The  discipline  of  this  denomination  is  founded  on  the 
supposed  perfection  of  their  leaders.  The  mother,  it  is 
said,  obeys  God  through  Christ.  European  elders  obey 
her.  American  laborers,  and  the  common  people  obey 
them,  while  confession  is  made  of  every  secret  in  nature, 
from  the  oldest  to  the  youngest.  The  people  are  made  to 
believe  that  they  are  seen  through  and  through  in  the  gos- 
pel glass  of  perfection,  by  their  teachers,  who  behold  the 
state  of  the  dead,  and  innumerable  worlds  of  spirits  good 
and  bad. 

From  the  shaking  of  their  bodies  in  religious  exercises, 
they  were  called  Shakers,  and  some  gave  them  the  name 
of  Shaking  Quakers.  This  name,  though  used  in  deri- 
sion, they  acknowledge  to  be  proper,  because  they  are  both 
the  subjects  and  instruments  of  the  work  of  God  in  this 
latter  day. 

"Thus  the  Lord  promised,  that  he  would  shake  the 
earth  with  terror:"  Lowth's  translation  of  Isaiah  ii.  19, 
21.  "  That,  in  that  day,  there  should  be  a  great  shaking 
in  the  land  of  Israel :"  Ezek.  xxxviii.  19,  20.  «  That  he 
would  shake  the  heavens  and  the  earth:"  Isaiah  xiii.  13 ; 
Jpel  iii.  16 ;  Hag.  ii.  6,  7,  21.  "  That  he  would  shake 
all  nations,  and  that  the  desire  of  all  nations  should  come." 
And  according  to  the  apostle :  "  That  yet  once  more,  he 
would  shake  not  the  earth  only,  but  also  heaven :"  Heb. 
xii.  26.  Signifying  the  removing  of  things  that  are 
shaken,  as  of  things  that  are  made,  that  those  things  which 
cannot  be  shaken  may  remain.  All  which  particularly 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  219 

alluded  to  the  latter  day,  and  now  in  reality  began  to  be 
fulfilled ;  of  which  the  name  itself  was  a  striking  evidence, 
and  much  more  the  nature  and  operations  of  the  work. 

This  work  went  on  under  Wardley,  till  the  year  1770, 
when  the  present  Testimony  of  Salutation  and  Eternal 
Life  was  fully  opened  according  to  the  special  gift  and 
revelation  of  God  through  Anne  Lee.  She  was  born 
about  the  year  1736 ;  her  father,  John  Lee,  lived  in  Toad 
Lane,  Manchester,  and  was  a  blacksmith ;  with  him  she 
lived  till  she  embarked  for  America.  She  herself  was  a 
cutter  of  hatter's  fur,  and  had  five  brothers  and  two  sis 
ters.  She  was  married  to  Abraham  Standley,  a  black- 
smith, and  had  four  children,  who  died  in  their  infancy. 

In  1758,  this  singular  woman  joined  the  society  under 
Wardley,  and  became  a  distinguished  leader  amongst 
them. 

When  therefore  Anne,  who,  by  her  perfect  obedience, 
had  attained  to  all  that  was  made  manifest  in  the  leading 
characters  of  the  society,  still,  however,  found  in  herself 
the  seed  or  remains  of  human  depravity  and  a  lack  of  the 
divine  nature,  which  is  eternal  life  abiding  in  the  soul,  she 
did  not  rest  satisfied  in  that  state,  but  labored  in  contin- 
ual watchings  and  fastings,  and  in  tears  and  incessant 
cries  to  God,  day  and  night,  for  deliverance.  And  under 
the  most  severe  tribulation,  and  violent  temptations,  as 
great  as  she  was  able  to  resist  and  endure,  such  was,  fre- 
quently, her  extreme  agony  of  soul,  that  she  would  clinch 
her  hands  together,  till  the  blood  would  flow  through  the 
pores  of  her  skin  ! 

By  such  deep  mortification  and  suifering,  her  flesh 
wasted  away,  and  she  became  like  a  skeleton,  wholly  in- 
capable of  helping  herself,  and  was  fed  and  nourished  like 
an  infant,  although  naturally  free  from  bodily  infirmities, 
and  a  person  of  strong  and  sound  constitution,  and  invin- 
cible fortitude  of  mind. 

And  from  the  light  and  power  of  God,  which  attended 
her  ministry,  and  the  certain  power  of  salvation  transmit- 
ted to  those  who  received  her  testimony,  she  was  re- 


220  HISTORY   OE  ALL   RELIGIONS 

ceived  and  acknowledged  as  the  first  Mother,  or  spiritual 
parent  in  the  line  of  the  female,  and  the  second  heir  in 
the  covenant  of  life,  according  to  the  present  display  of 
the  gospel.  Hence  among  believers,  she  hath  been  dis- 
tinguished by  no  other  name  or  title  than  that  of  Mother, 
from  that  period  to  the  present  day.  To  such  as  addressed 
her  with  the  customary  titles  used  by  the  world,  she  would 
reply, — <I  am  Anne  the  Word;'  signifying  that  in  her 
dwelt  the  Word." 

In  1774,  Anne  Lee,  with  some  of  her  followers,  having 
been  thought  mad,  and  sorely  persecuted,  settled  their 
temporal  affairs  in  England,  and  set  sail  from  Liverpool 
for  New  York.  James  Wardley  and  his  wife,  remaining 
behind,  were  removed  into  an  almshouse,  and  there  died. 

The  others,  we  are  told,  "  being  without  lead  or  protec- 
tion, lost  their  power,  and  fell  into  the  common  course  and 
practice  of  the  world!"  Anne  Lee  and  their  brethren 
reached  New  York,  after  working  a  kind  of  miracle,  for 
the  ship  sprang  a  leak  on  the  voyage,  and  it  is  more  than 
hinted  that  had  it  not  been  for  their  exertions  at  the  pump, 
the  vessel  would  have  gone  down  to  the  bottom  of  the 
ocean.  They  fixed  their  residence  at  Niskyuna,  now 
Watervliet,  near  the  city  of  Albany.  In  this  retired  spot, 
they  greatly  multiplied,  but  Anne  was  not  without  bitter 
reproaches  and  manifold  persecutions.  She  and  the  elders 
would  delight  in  missionary  journeys — being  out  for  two 
or  three  years,  and  returning  with  wonderful  accounts  of 
their  success. 

The  decease  of  Elder  William  served  as  a  particular 
means  of  preparing  the  minds  of  believers  for  a  still 
heavier  trial,  in  being  deprived  of  the  visible  presence  and 
protection  of  Anne — the  thought  of  which  seemed  almost 
insupportable  to  many.  But  having  finished  the  work 
which  was  given  her  to  do,  she  was  taken  out  of  their 
sight  in  the  ordinary  way  of  all  living,  at  Watervliet,  en 
the  8tt  day  of  the  ninth  month,  1784. 

Thus  in  the  early  dawn  of  the  American  Revolution, 
when  the  rights  of  conscience  began  to  be  established, 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.          221 

the  morning  star  of  Christ's  second  coming,  disappeared 
from  the  view  of  the  world,  to  he  succeeded  by  the  in- 
creasing brightness  of  the  Sun  of  righteousness  and  all 
the  promised  glory  of  the  latter  day. 

And  thus  the  full  revelation  of  Christ,  in  its  first  de- 
gree, was  completed;  which  was  according  to  that  re- 
markable prophecy  of  Christopher  Love,  who  was  be- 
headed under  Cromwell — "Out  of  thee,  0  England!  shall 
a  bright  star  arise,  whose  light  and  voice  shall  make  the 
heavens  to  quake,  and  knock  under  with  submission  to  the 
blessed  Jesus." 

The  most  remarkable  tenet  of  the  Shakers  is  the  abo- 
lition of  marriage  and  indeed  the  total  separation  of  the 
sexes.  The  essence  of  their  argument  is,  that  the  Resur- 
rection spoken  of  in  the  New  Testament  means  nothing 
more  than  conversion ;  our  Saviour  declares  that  in  the 
resurrection  they  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in  mar- 
riage, therefore  on  conversion,  or  the  resurrection  of  the 
individual,  marriage  ceases.  To  speak  more  plainly,  the 
single  must  continue  single  and  the  married  must  separ- 
ate. Every  passage  in  the  Gospel  and  in  the  epistles  is 
interpreted  according  to  this  hypothesis. 

Whatever  degree  of  indulgence,  say  they,  was  ex- 
tended to  some  among  the  gentile  nations,  who  professed 
faith  in  Christ,  because  they  were  not  able  to  bear  the 
whole  truth ;  yet  the  truth  did  not  conceal  the  pointed 
distinction  which  Christ  made  between  his  own  true  fol- 
lowers, and  the  children  of  this  world. 

"But  I  would  have  you  without  carefulness,"  saith  the 
apostle ;  "  He  that  is  unmarried  careth  for  the  things  that 
belong  to  the  Lord,  how  he  may  please  the  Lord :  ( his 
noblest  and  principal  affections  are  there.)  But  he  that  is 
married  careth  for  the  things  that  are  of  the  world,  how 
he  may  please  his  wife."  The  wife  is  put  in  the  place  cf 
the  Lord,  as  the  first  object  of  his  affections. 

The  unmarried  woman  careth  for  the  things  of  the 
Lord,  (upon  whom  she  places  her  affections,)  that  she  may 
be  holy  both  in  body  and  spirit ;  but  she  that  is  married 


222  HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

careth  for  the  things  of  the  world,  how  she  may  please  her 
husband,  instead  of  the  Lord. 

The  same  pointed  distinction  is  made  by  Christ;  not 
only  when  he  says  of  his  disciples,  "  They  are  not  of  the 
world,  even  as  I  am  not  of  the  world,"  but  when  in  answer- 
ing the  Sadducees,  who  denied  and  knew  not  that  he  was 
the  Resurrection,  he  says,  "  The  children  of  this  world 
marry,  and  are  given  in  marriage ;  but  they  which  shall 
be  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that  world,  and  the  resur- 
rection from  the  dead,  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in 
marriage."  Neither  can  they  die  any  more  (spiritually), 
for  they  are  equal  unto  the  angels,  and  are  the  children 
of  God,  being  the  children  of  the  resurrection. 

An  idea  of  the  notions  of  the  Shakers  in  regard  to  their 
founder  may  be  formed  from  the  following  passages :  In 
the  fulness  of  time,  according  to  the  unchangeable  purpose 
of  God,  that  same  Spirit  and  word  of  power,  which  created 
man  at  the  beginning — which  spake  by  the  prophets — 
which  dwelt  in  the  man  Jesus — which  was  given  to  the 
apostles  and  true  witnesses,  as  the  Holy  Spirit  and  Word 
of  promise,  which  groaned  in  them  waiting  for  the  day  of 
redemption — and  which  was  spoken  of  in  the  language  of 
prophecy  as  a  woman  travailing  with  child,  and  pained  to 
be  delivered,  was  revealed  in  a  woman. 

And  that  woman,  in  whom  was  manifested  the  Spirit 
and  Word  of  power,  who  was  anointed  and  chosen  of  God, 
to  reveal  the  mystery  of  iniquity,  to  stand  as  the  first  in 
order,  to  accomplish  the  purpose  of  God,  in  the  restoration 
of  that  which  was  lost  by  the  transgression  of  the  first  wo- 
man, and  to  finish  the  work  of  man's  final  redemption, 
was  Anne  Lee. 

As  the  chosen  vessel,  appointed  by  divine  Wisdom, 
she,  by  her  faithful  obedience  to  that  same  anointing, 
became  the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  second  heir 
with  Jesus,  her  Lord  and  Head,  in  the  covenant  and  prom- 
ise of  eternal  life.  And  by  her  sufferings  and  travail  for 
a  lost  world,  and  her  union  and  subjection  to  Christ  Jesus, 
her  Lord  and  Head,  she  became  the  first-born  of  many 


HISTORY  OF   ALL  RELIGIONS.  223 

Bisters,  and  the  true  Mother  of  all  living  in  the  new  crea- 
tion. 

Thus  the  perfection  of  the  translation  of  God  in  this 
latter  day,  excels  particularly,  in  that  which  respects  the 
most  glorious  part  in  the  creation  of  man,  namely,  the 
woman.  And  herein  is  the  most  condescending  goodness 
and  mercy  of  God  displayed,  not  only  in  redeeming  that 
most  amiable  part  of  creation  from  the  curse,  and  all  the 
sorrows  of  the  fall,  but  also  in  condescending  to  the  lowest 
estate  of  the  loss  of  mankind. 

The  four  leading  peculiarities  of  the  Shakers  are :  first, 
community  of  property ;  secondly,  the  celibacy  of  the  en- 
tire body,  in  both  sexes ;  thirdly,  the  non-existence  of  any 
priesthood;  and,  fourthly,  the  use  of  the  dance  in  their 
religious  worship.  All  these  they  defend  on  .Scriptural 
authority,  and  quote  very  largely  from  the  writings  of  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments  in  confirmation  of  their  views. 
The  following  are  their  rules  for  the  admission  of  mem- 
bers : 

1.  All  persons  who  unite  with  the  society  must  do  it 
voluntarily  and  of  their  own  free  will. 

2.  No  one  is  permitted  to  do  so  without  a  full  and 
clear  understanding  of  all  its  obligations. 

3.  No   considerations  of  property  are  ever  made  use 
of  to  induce  persons  to  join  or  to  leave  the  society ;  be- 
cause it  is  a  principle  of  the  sect,  that  no  act  of  devotion 
or  service  that  does  not  flow  from  the  free  and  voluntary 
emotions  of  the  heart,  can  be  acceptable  to  God  as  an  act 
of  true  religion. 

4.  No  believing  husband   or  wife   is   allowed,  by  the 
principles  of  this  society,  to  separate  from  an  unbelieving 
partner,  except  by  mutual  agreement,  unless  the  conduct 
of  the  unbeliever  be  such  as  to  warrant  a  separation  by 
the  laws  of  God  and  man.     Nor  can  any  husband  or  wife, 
who  has  otherwise  abandoned  his  or  her  partner,  be  re- 
ceived into  communion  with  the  society. 

5.  Any  person   becoming   a  member  must  rectify  all 
his  wrongs,  and,  as  fast  and  as  far  as  it  is  in  his  power, 


224  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

discharge  all  just  and  legal  claims,  whether  of  creditors 
or  filial  heirs.  Nor  can  any  person,  not  conforming  to 
this  rule,  long  remain  in  union  with  the  society.  But  the 
society  is  not  responsible  for  the  dehts  of  any  individual, 
except  by  agreement ;  because  such  responsibility  would 
involve  a  principle  ruinous  to  the  institution. 

6.  No  difference  is  to  be  made  in  the  distribution  of 
parental  estate  among  the  heirs,  whether  they  belong  to 
the  society  or  not ;  but  an  equal  partition*  must  be  made, 
as  far  as  may  be  practicable  and  consistent  with  reason 
and  justice. 

7.  If  an   unbelieving  wife   separate  from  a  believing 
husband  by  agreement,  the  husband  must  give  her  a  just 
and  reasonable  share  of  the  property ;   and  if  they  have 
children  who  have  arrived  at  years  of  understanding  suffi- 
cient to  judge  for  themselves,  and  who  choose  to  go  with 
their  mother,  they  are  not  to  be  disinherited  on  that  ac- 
count.    Though  the  character  of  this  institution  has  been 
much  censured  on  this  ground,  yet  we  boldly  assert  that 
the  rule  above  stated  has  never,  to  our  knowledge,  been 
violated  by  this  society. 

8.  Industry,  temperance,  and  frugality,  are  prominent 
features   of  this  institution.     No  member  who  is  able  to 
labor,  can  be  permitted  to  live  idly  upon  the  labors  of 
others.     All  are  required  to  be  employed  in  some  manual 
occupation,  according  to  their  several  abilities,  when  not 
engaged  in  other  necessary  duties. 

As  all  persons  enter  this  society  voluntarily,  so  they 
may  voluntarily  withdraw ;  but,  while  they  remain  mem- 
bers, they  are  required  to  obey  the  regulations  of  the  so- 
ciety. 

The  leading  authority  of  the  society  is  vested  in  a  min- 
istry, generally  consisting  of  four  persons,  including  both 
sexes.  These,  together  with  the  elders  and  trustees,  con- 
stitute the  general  government  of  the  society  in  all  its 
branches. 

No  creed  is  framed  to  restrain  the  progress  of  impro  re- 
ment.  It  is  the  faith  of  the  society  that  the  operations  of 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  225 

Divine  light  are  unlimited.  All  are  at  liberty  to  improve 
their  talents  and  exercise  their  gifts,  the  younger  being 
subject  to  the  elder. 

In  the  beginning  of  the  year  1780  the  society  consisted 
of  but  about  ten  or  twelve  persons,  all  of  whom  came  from 
England.  From  this  time  there  was  a  gradual  and  ex- 
tensive increase  in  their  numbers  until  the  year  1787, 
when  they  began  to  collect  at  New-Lebanon.  Here  the 
Church  was  established,  as  a  common  centre  of  union  for 
all  who  belonged  to  the  society  in  various  parts  of  the 
country.  This  still  remains  as  the  mother  church,  being 
the  first  that  was  established ;  all  the  societies  in  various 
parts  of  the  country  are  considered  branches  of  this  ;  and 
there  are  now  twenty  separate  communities,  numbering 
about  4000  members. 

In  Ohio  there  are  two  societies,  one  at  Union  Village, 
in  the  county  of  Warren,  30  miles  northeast  from  Cincin- 
nati, which  contains  nearly  600  members;  and  one  at 
Beaver  Creek,  in  the  county  of  Montgomery,  six  miles 
southeast  from  Dayton,  which  contains  100  members.  In 
Kentucky  there  are  also  two  societies,  one  at  Pleasant 
Hill,  in  Mercer  county,  21  miles  southwest  of  Lexington, 
containing  nearly  500  members;  the  other  at  South 
Union,  Jasper  Springs,  in  Logan  county,  15  miles  north- 
east from  Russellville,  which  contains  nearly  400  mem- 
bers. In  Indiana  there  is  one  society,  at  West  Union, 
Knox  county,  16  miles  above  Vincennes,  which  contains 
more  than  200  members. 

"The  Shakers,"  says  one  of  their  visitors,  "are,  in 
their  religious  notions,  a  compound  of  almost  all  the  other 
sects.  They  are  a  kind  of  religious  eclectics,  with  this 
commendable  trait,  that  they  are  enemies  to  every  sort  of 
coercion  in  matters  of  religion.  They  have  chosen  what 
appeared  to  them  to  be  good  out  of  every  denomination. 
The  Shakers  unite  with  the  Quakers  in  an  entire  submis- 
sion to  the  Spirit,  and  in  the  rejection  of  baptism  and  the 
Lord's  Supper — with  the  Calvinists  and  Methodists  in 
Laying  great  stress  on  conversion — with  the  Arminiana 
15 


226  HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGU  Jff S. 

in  rejecting  election  and  reprobation,  as  well  as  the  impu- 
tation of  Adam's  guilt  to  his  posterity — with  the  Unita- 
rians in  exploding  a  Trinity  of  three  persons  in  one  God. 
together  with  the  satisfaction  of  Christ — with  the  Roman 
Catholics  in  contending  for  the  continuation  of  miracles 
in  the  church — with  the  Sandemanians  in  practicing  a  sort 
of  community  of  goods,  and  having  no  person  regularly 
educated  for  the  ministry — with  the  followers  of  Joanna 
Southcott,  in  believing  that  a  woman  is  the  instrument  to 
bring  on  the  glory  of  the  latter  day — with  the  Moravians 
and  Methodists  in  encouraging  missi  mary  undertakings  ~ 
with  the  Swedenborgians  in  denying  the  resurrection  of 
the  body,  and  asserting  that  the  day  of  judgment  is  past — 
with  the  Jumpers  in  dancing  and  shouting  during  divine 
worship  ;  and  lastly,  with  the  Universalists  in  renouncing 
the  eternity  of  hell  torments.  To  all  this,  they  have 
added  a  tenet  hitherto  unthought  of  by  any  body  of  Chris- 
tians. The  Catholics  indeed  led  the  way  in  enjoining  the 
celibacy  of  the  clergy,  and  in  the  institution  of  monachism. 
It  was  left  to  the  Shakers  to  enjoin  celibacy  as  one  of 
their  religious  exercises." 

As  far  as  the  history  of  the  Shakers  can  establish  the 
fact,  it  has  certainly  shown  that,  where  property  is  held  in 
community,  and  not  individually,  the  disposition  to  bestow 
it  in  works  of  charity  and  benevolence  to  others  is  greatly 
increased.  And  that  the  property  itself  is  better  managed 
for  accumulation  and  preservation,  no  one  can  doubt  who 
has  watched  the  progressive  advancement  which  this  so- 
ciety has  made  in  the  augmentation,  as  well  as  improve- 
ment, of  its  possessions,  and  in  the  neatness,  order,  and 
perfection  by  which  everything  they  do  or  make  is  char- 
acterized :  this  is  so  much  the  case,  that  over  all  the  Uni- 
ted States,  the  seeds,  plants,  fruits,  grain,  cattle,  and  man- 
ufactures furnished  by  any  settlement  of  Shakers,  bear  a, 
premium  in  tL?  market  above  the  ordinary  price  of  similar 
articles  from  Other  establishments.  There  being  no  idle- 
ness among  them,  all  are  productive.  There  being  no  in- 
temperance among  them,  none  are  destructive.  There 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  227 

being  no  misers  among  them,  nothing  is  hoarded,  or  made 
to  perish  for  want  of  use  ;  so  that  while  production  and  im- 
provement are  at  their  maximum,  and  waste  and  destruc- 
tion at  their  minimum,  the  society  must  go  on  increasing 
the  extent  and  value  of  its  temporal  possessions,  and  thus 
increase  its  means  of  doing  good,  first  within,  and  then 
beyond  its  own  circle. 

The  most  remarkable  religious  ceremony  among  the 
Shakers  is  that  of  dancing.  The  following  account,  from 
Buckingham's  Travels  in  America,  appears  to  be  a  wholly 
unprejudiced  one: 

"  The  males  were  first  arranged  in  pairs,  following  each 
other  like  troops  in  a  line  of  march  ;  and  when  their  num- 
ber was  completed,  the  females  followed  after,  two  and 
two,  in  the  same  manner.  In  this  way  they  formed  a 
complete  circle  round  the  open  space  of  the  room.  In  the 
centre  of  the  whole  was  a  small  band  of  about  half  a 
dozen  males  and  half  a  dozen  females,  who  were  there 
stationed  to  sing  the  tunes  and  mark  the  time  ;  and  these 
began  to  sing  with  a  loud  voice  and  in  quick  time,  like 
the  allegro  of  a  sonata,  or  the  vivace  of  a  canzonet,  the 
following  verse : 

'  Perpetual  blessings  to  demand, 
Perpetual  praise  on  every  hand  ; 
Then  leap  for  joy,  with  dance  and  song, 
To  praise  the  Lord  forever.' 

"  The  motion  of  the  double  line  of  worshippers,  as  they 
filed  oft"  before  us,  was  something  between  a  march  and  a 
dance.  Their  bodies  were  inclined  forward  like  those  of 
persons  in  the  act  of  running ;  they  kept  the  most  perfect 
time  with  their  feet,  and  beat  the  air  with  their  hands  to 
the  same  measure.  Some  of  the  more  robust  and  enthu- 
siastic literally  '  leaped'  so  high  as  to  shake  the  room  by 
the  weight  with  which  they  fell  to  their  feet  on  the  floor ; 
and  others,  though  taking  the  matter  more  moderately, 
bore  evident  signs  of  the  effects  of  the  exercise  and  heat 
united  on  their  persons.  The  first  dance  lasted  about  five 


228  HISTORY   OF  ALL   BELiGIONS 

minutes,  and  was  performed  to  the  air  of  '  Scots  wha  ha'e 
wi'  Wallace  bled,'  sung  with  great  rapidity.  The  second 
dance  was  of  still  quicker  measure,  and  to  the  much  less 
respectable  old  English  tune  of  'Nancy  Dawson,'  and  to 
this  lively  and  merry  tune  the  whole  body,  now  formed 
into  three  abreast  instead  of  two,  literally  scampered  round 
the  room  in  a  quick  gallopade,  every  individual  of  both 
the  choir  and  the  dancers  singing  with  all  their  might 
these  words : 

1  Press  on,  press  on,  ye  chosen  band, 

The  angels  go  before  ye  ; 
We're  marching  through  Immanuel's  land, 
Where  saints  shall  sing  in  glory.' 

"  This  exercise  was  continued  for  at  least  double  the 
time  of  the  former,  and  by  it  the  worshipers  were  wrought 
up  to  such  a  pitch  of  fervor,  that  they  were  evidently  on 
the  point  of  some  violent  outbreak  or  paroxysm.  Accord- 
ingly, the  whole  assembly  soon  got  into  the  '  most  admired 
disorder,'  each  dancing  to  his  own  tune  and  his  own  mea- 
sure, and  the  females  became  perfectly  ungovernable. 
About  half  a  dozen  of  these  whirled  themselves  round  in 
what  opera  dancers  call  a  pirouette,  performing  at  least 
fifty  revolutions  each,  with  their  arms  extended  horizon- 
tally, their  clothes  being  blown  out  like  an  air-balloon  all 
round  their  persons,  their  heads  sometimes  falling  on  one 
side,  and  sometimes  hanging  forward  on  the  bosom,  till 
they  would  at  length  faint  away  in  hysterical  convulsions, 
and  be  caught  in  the  arms  of  the  surrounding  dancers. 

"  This,  too,  like  the  singing  and  dancing  which  pre- 
ceded it,  was  accompanied  by  clapping  of  hands  to  mark 
the  time,  while  the  same  verse  was  constantly  repeated, 
and  at  every  repetition  with  increased  rapidity.  Altogether 
the  scene  was  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  I  had  ever 
witnessed,  and,  except  among  the  howling  dervishes  of 
Bagdad,  and  the  whirling  dervishes  of  Damascus,  I  re 
member  nothing  in  the  remotest  degree  resembling  it." 

The  Shakers  vindicate  this  singular  ceremony  by  quota- 
tions from  the  Bible.  "  The  exercise  of  dancing,  in  the 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  229 

worship  of  God,"  say  they,  "  was  brought  to  light  not  as 
an  exercise  of  human  invention,  instituted  by  human  au- 
thority, but  as  a  manifestation  of  the  will  of  God,  through 
the  special  operations  of  his  Divine  power.  No  reader  of 
the  Scriptures  can  doubt  but  that  dancing  was  acceptable 
to  God  as  an  exercise  of  religious  worship  in  times  past, 
and  will  be  in  time  to  come,  according  to  the  prediction  oi 
the  prophet : 

"  '  Again  I  will  build  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  built,  0 
virgin  of  Israel !  thou  shalt  again  be  adorned  with  thy 
tablets,  and  shalt  go  forth  in  the  dances  of  them  that 
make  merry.  Then  shall  the  virgin  rejoice  in  the  dance, 
both  young  men  and  old  together.  Turn  again,  0  virgin 
of  Israel !  turn  again  to  these  thy  cities.'* 

"  God  requires  the  faithful  improvement  of  every  created 
talent.  i  0  clap  your  hands,  all  ye  people ;  shout  unto 
God  with  the  voice  of  triumph.  Sing  unto  the  Lord  a 
new  song ;  sing  his  praise  in  the  congregation  of  the  saints 
Let  the  children  of  Zion  be  joyful  in  their  King ;  let  them 
praise  his  name  in  the  dance.' 

"  These  expressions  of  the  inspired  Psalmist  are  worthy 
of  serious  consideration.  Do  they  not  evidently  imply 
that  the  Divine  Spirit  which  dictated  them  requires  the 
devotion  of  all  our  faculties  in  the  service  of  God  ?  How, 
then,  can  any  people  professing  religion  expect  to  find  ac- 
ceptance with  God  by  the  service  of  the  tongue  only  ? 

"  Since  we  are  blessed  with  hands  and  feet,  those  active 
and  useful  members  of  the  body  on  which  we  mostly  de- 
pend in  our  own  service,  shall  we  not  acknowledge  our 
obligations  to  God  who  gave  them  by  exercising  them  in 
our  devotions  to  him  ?  There  is  too  powerful  a  connec- 
tion between  the  body  and  the  mind,  and  too  strong  an 
influence  of  the  mind  upon  the  body,  to  admit  of  much  ac- 
tivity of  mind  in  the  service  of  God  without  the  co-opera- 
ting exercises  of  the  body.  But  where  the  heart  is  sin* 


*  Jeremiah,  c.  31,  v.  4, 13,  21. 


230  HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

cerely  and  fervently  engaged  in  the  service  of  God,  it  has 
a  tendency  to  produce  an  active  influence  on  the  body." 

"From  every  inquiry  I  could  make,"  says  Mr.  Bucking- 
ham, "  of  those  longest  resident  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  Shakers,  I  could  learn  no  authenticated  case  of  evil 
practices  among  them.  On  the  contrary,  every  one  ap- 
peared ready  to  bear  testimony  to  their  honesty,  punctu- 
ality, industry,  sobriety,  and  chastity." 

HOPKINSIANS. 

THIS  sect  is  called  after  the  Rev.  Samuel  Hopkins,  D.  D., 
pastor  of  a  Church  at  Newport ;  who  in  his  sermons  and 
tracts,  has  made  several  additions  to  the  sentiments  first 
advanced  by  the  celebrated  Jonathan  Edwards,  President 
of  New  Jersey  College.* 

The  following  is  a  summary  of  the  distinguishing  tenets 
of  this  denomination,  together  with  a  few  of  the  reasons 
which  they  employ  to  support  their  sentiments : 

I.  That  all  true  virtue,  or  real  holiness,  consists  in  dis- 
interested benevolence. 

The  object  of  benevolence  is  universal  Being,  including 
God,  and  all  intelligent  creatures.  It  wishes  and  seeks 
the  good  of  every  individual,  so  far  as  is  consistent  with 
the  greatest  good  of  the  whole,  which  is  comprised  in  the 
glory  of  God,  and  the  perfection  and  happiness  of  his 
kingdom. 

The  law  of  God  is  the  standard  of  all  moral  rectitude, 
or  holiness.  This  is  reduced  into  love  to  God,  and  our 
neighbor  as  ourselves ;  and  universal  good- will  compre- 
hends all  the  love  to  God,  our  neighbor,  and  ourselves,  re- 
quired in  the  divine  law;  and  therefore  must  be  the 
whole  of  holy  obedience.  Let  any  serious  person  think 

*  This  denomination  supposes,  that  this  eminent  divine  not  only  illus- 
trated and  confirmed  the  main  doctrines  of  Calvinism,  but  brought  the 
whole  system  to  a  greater  degree  of  consistency  and  perfection,  than 
any  who  had  gone  before  him.  They  profess  only  to  pursue  the  same 
design  of  still  further  perfecting  the  same  system. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  231 

what  are  the  particular  branches  of  true  piety ;  when  he 
has  viewed  each  one  by  itself,  he  will  find,  that  disinter- 
ested, friendly  affection  is  its  distinguishing  characteristic. 
For  instance,  all  the  holiness  in  pious  fear,  which  distin- 
guishes it  from  the  fear  of  the  wicked,  consists  in  love. 
Again,  holy  gratitude  is  nothing  but  good  will  to  God  and 
our  neighbour,  in  which  we  ourselves  are  included,  and 
correspondent  affection  excited  by  a  view  of  the  good  will 
and  kindness  of  God. 

Universal  good  will  also  implies  the  whole  of  the  duty 
we  owe  to  our  neighbor.  For  justice,  truth,  and  faithful- 
ness, are  comprised  in  universal  benevolence.  So  are 
temperance  and  chastity.  For  an  undue  indulgence  of 
our  appetites  and  passions  is  contrary  to  benevolence,  as 
tending  to  hurt  ourselves  or  others;  and  so  opposite  to 
the  general  good,  and  the  divine  command,  in  which  all 
the  crime  of  such  indulgence  consists.  In  short,  all  virtue 
is  nothing  but  benevolence  acted  out  in  its  proper  nature 
and  perfection,  or  love  to  God  and  our  neighbor  made  per- 
fect in  all  its  genuine  exercises  and  expressions. 

II.  That  all  sin  consists  in  selfishness. 

By  this  is  meant,  an  interested,  selfish  affection,  by 
which  a  person  sets  himself  up  as  supreme,  and  the  only 
object  of  regard ;  and  nothing  is  good  or  lovely,  in  his 
view,  unless  suited  to  promote  his  own  private  interest. 
This  self-love  is  in  its  whole  nature  and  every  degree  of 
it,  enmity  against  God.  It  is  not  subject  to  the  law 
of  God  ;  and  is  the  only  affection  that  can  oppose  it.  It 
is  the  foundation  of  all  spiritual  blindness  ;  and  therefore 
the  source  of  all  the  open  idolatry  in  the  heathen  world, 
and  false  religion  under  the  light  of  the  gospel.  All  this 
is  agreeable  to  that  self-love  which  opposes  God's  true 
character.  Under  the  influence  of  this  principle,  men  de- 
part from  truth,  it  being  itself  the  greatest  practical  lie 
in  nature,  as  it  sets  up  that  which  is  comparatively  noth- 
ing, above  Universal  Existence.  Self-love  is  the  source 
of  all  profaneness  and  impiety  in  the  world ;  and  of  all  pride 
and  ambition  among  men,  which  is  nothing  but  selfishness 


232  HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

acted  out  in  this  particular  way.  This  is  the  foundation 
of  all  covetousness  and  sensuality ;  as  it  blinds  people's  eyes, 
contracts  their  hearts,  and  sinks  them  down,  so  that  they 
look  upon  earthly  enjoyments  as  the  greatest  good.  This 
is  the  source  of  all  falsehood,  injustice,  and  oppression,  as 
it  excites  mankind  by  undue  methods  to  invade  the  pro- 
perty of  others.  Self-love  produces  all  the  violent  pas- 
sions, envy,  wrath,  clamor,  and  evil  speaking,  and  every- 
thing contrary  to  the  divine  law,  is  briefly  comprehended 
in  this  fruitful  source  of  all  iniquity,  self-love. 

III.  That  there  are  no  promises  of  regenerating  grace 
made  to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate. 

For  as  far  as  men  act  from  self-love,  they  act  from  a  bad 
end.  For  those  who  have  no  true  love  to  God,  really  do 
no  duty,  when  they  attend  on  the  externals  of  religion. 
And  as  the  unregenerate  act  from  a  selfish  principle,  they 
do  nothing  which  is  commanded.  Their  impenitent  doings 
are  wholly  opposed  to  repentance  and  conversion,  there- 
fore not  implied  in  the  command,  To  repent,  &c.  So  far 
from  this,  they  are  altogether  disobedience  to  the  com- 
mand. Hence  it  appears,  that  there  are  no  promises  of 
salvation  to  the  doings  of  the  unregenerate. 

IV.  That  the  impotency  of  sinners,  with  respect  to  be- 
lieving in  Christ,  is  not  natural  but  moral. 

For  it  is  a  plain  dictate  of  common  sense,  that  natural 
impossibility  excludes  all  blame.  But  an  unwilling  mind 
is  universally  considered  as  a  crime,  and  not  as  an  excuse, 
and  is  the  very  thing  wherein  our  wickedness  consists. 
That  the  impotence  of  the  sinner  is  owing  to  a  disaffec- 
tion of  heart,  is  evident  from  the  promises  of  the  gospel. 
When  any  object  of  good  is  proposed  and  promised  to  us 
upon  asking,  it  clearly  evinces  that  there  can  be  no  impo- 
tency in  us  with  respect  to  obtaining  it,  beside  the  disap- 
probation of  the  will :  and  that  inability,  which  consists  in 
disinclination,  never  renders  anything  properly  the  subject 
of  precept  or  command. 

V.  That  in  order  to  faith  in  Christ,  a  sinner  must  ap- 
prove in  his  heart  of  the  divine  conduct,  even  though  God 


HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  233 

should  cast  him  off  forever ;  which,  however,  neither  im- 
plies love  to  misery,  nor  hatred  of  happiness.* 

For  if  the  law  is  good,  death  is  due  to  those  who  have 
broken  it.  The  Judge  of  all  the  earth  cannot  but  do  right. 
It  would  bring  everlasting  reproach  upon  his  government 
to  spare  us,  considered  merely  as  in  ourselves.  When  this 
is  felt  in  our  hearts,  and  not  till  then,  we  shall  be  pre- 
pared to  look  to  the  free  grace  of  God  through  the  redemp- 
tion which  is  in  Christ,  and  to  exercise  faith  in  his  blood, 
"  who  is  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation  to  declare  God's 
righteousness,  that  he  might  be  just,  and  yet  be  the  justi- 
fier  of  him  who  believeth  in  Jesus." 

VI.  That  the  infinitely  wise  and  holy  God  has  exerted 
his  omnipotent  power  in  such  a  manner,  as  he  purposed 
should  be  followed  with  the  existence  and  entrance  of 
moral  evil  in  the  system. 

For  it  must  be  admitted  on  all  hands,  that  God  has  a 
perfect  knowledge,  foresight,  and  view  of  all  possible  ex- 
istences and  events.  If  that  system  and  sense  of  opera- 
tion, in  which  moral  evil  should  never  have  existence,  was 
actually  preferred  in  the  divine  mind,  certainly  the  Deity 
is  infinitely  disappointed  in  the  issue  of  his  own  operations. 
Nothing  can  be  more  dishonorable  to  God,  than  to  imagine 
that  the  system,  which  is  actually  formed  by  the  Divine 

*  As  a  particle  of  water  is  small  in  comparison  with  a  generous  stream, 
BO  the  man  of  humility  feels  small  before  the  great  family  of  his  fellow- 
creatures.  He  values  his  soul,  but  when  he  compares  it  to  the  great 
soul  of  mankind,  he  almost  forgets  and  loses  sight  of  it :  for  the  gov- 
erning principle  of  his  heart  is  to  estimate  things  according  to  their 
worth.  When,  therefore,  he  indulges  a  humble  comparison  with  his 
Maker,  he  feels  lost  in  the  infinite  fullness  and  brightness  of  divine  love, 
as  a  ray  of  light  is  lost  in  the  sun,  and  a  particle  of  water  in  the  ocean. 
It  inspires  him  with  the  most  grateful  feelings  of  heart,  that  he  has  op- 
pcrtunity  to  be  in  the  'jaud  of  God,  as  clay  in  the  hand  of  the  potter  : 
and  as  he  considers  himself  in  this  humble  light,  he  submits  the  nature 
and  size  of  his  future  vessel  entirely  to  God.  As  his  pride  is  lost  in  the 
dust,  he  looks  up  with  pleasure  towards  the  throne  of  God,  and  rej  sices 
with  all  his  heart  in  the  rectitude  of  the  divine  administration. 


234  HISTORY  OP  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

hand,  and  which  was  made  for  his  pleasure  and  glory,  is 
yet  not  the  fruit  of  wise  contrivance  and  design. 

VII.  That  the  introduction  of  sin  is,  upon  the  whole, 
for  the  general  good. 

For  the  wisdom  and  power  of  the  Deity  are  displayed  in 
carrying  on  designs  of  the  greatest  good  :  and  the  exist- 
ence of  moral  evil  has  undoubtedly  occasioned  a  more  full, 
perfect,  and  glorious  discovery  of  the  infinite  perfections 
of  the  divine  nature,  that  could  otherwise  have  been  made 
to  the  view  of  creatures.  If  the  extensive  manifestations 
of  the  pure  and  holy  nature  of  God,  and  his  infinite  aver- 
sion to  sin,  and  all  his  inherent  perfections  in  their  genu- 
ine fruits  and  effects,  is  either  itself  the  greatest  good,  or 
necessarily  contains  it ;  it  must  necessarily  follow,  that  the 
introduction  of  sin  is  for  the  greatest  good. 

VIII.  That  repentance  is  before  faith  in  Christ. 

By  this  is  not  intended,  that  repentance  is  before  a 
speculative  belief  of  the  being  and  perfections  of  God,  and 
of  the  person  and  character  of  Christ ;  but  only,  that  true 
repentance  is  previous  to  a  saving  faith  in  Christ,  in  which 
the  believer  is  united  to  Christ,  and  entitled  to  the  benefits 
of  his  mediation  and  atonement.  That  repentance  is  be- 
fore faith  in  this  sense,  appears  from  several  considerations  : 

1st.  As  repentance  and  faith  respect  different  objects, 
so  they  are  distinct  exercises  of  the  heart,  and  therefore 
one  not  only  may,  but  must  be  prior  to  the  other. 

2d.  There  may  be  genuine  repentance  of  sin  without 
faith  in  Christ ;  but  there  cannot  be  true  faith  in  Christ 
without  repentance  ©f  sin  :  and  since  repentance  is  neces- 
sary in  order  to  faith  in  Christ,  it  must  necessarily  be 
prior  to  faith  in  Christ. 

3d.  John  the  Baptist,  Christ,  and  his  apostles,  taught, 
that  repentance  is  before  faith.  John  cried,  "  Repent,  for 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  at  hand;"  intending,  that  true 
repentance  was  necessary  in  order  to  embrace  the  gospel 
of  the  kingdom.  Christ  commanded,  "  Repent  ye,  and 
believe  the  gospel."  And  Paul  preached  "repentance  to- 
ward God,  and  faith  toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  236" 

IX.  That  though  men  became  sinners  by  Adam  accord- 
ing to  a  divine  constitution,  yet  they  have,  and  are  ac- 
countable for  no  sins  but  personal. 

1st.  Adam's  act  in  eating  the  forbidden  fruit  was  not 
the  act  of  his  posterity,  therefore,  they  did  not  sin  at  the 
same  time  he  did. 

2d.  The  sinfulness  of  that  act  could  not  be  transferred 
to  them  afterwards  ;  because  the  sinfulness  of  an  act  can 
no  more  be  transferred  from  one  person  to  another,  than 
an  act  itself.  Therefore, 

3d.  Adam's  act  in  eating  the  forbidden  fruit  was  not 
the  cause,  but  only  the  occasion  of  his  posterity's  being 
sinners.  God  was  pleased  to  make  a  constitution,  that, 
if  Adam  remained  holy  through  his  state  of  trial,  his  pos- 
terity should,  in  consequence  of  it,  be  holy  too ;  but  if  he 
sinned,  his  posterity,  in  consequence  of  it,  should  be  sin- 
ners too.  Adam  sinned,  and  now  God  brings  posterity 
into  the  world  sinners.  By  Adam's  sin  we  are  become 
sinners,  not  for  it ;  his  sin  being  only  the  occasion,  not 
the  cause  of  our  committing  sins. 

X.  That  though  believers  are  justified  through  Christ's 
righteousness,  yet  his  righteousness  is  not  transferred  to 
them. 

1st.  Personal  righteousness  can  no  more  be  transferied 
from  one  person  to  another  than  personal  sin. 

2d.  If  Christ's  personal  righteousness  were  transferred 
to  believers,  they  would  be  as  perfectly  holy  as  Christ, 
and  so  stand  in  no  need  of  forgiveness.  But, 

3d.  Believers  are  not  conscious  of  having  Christ's  per- 
sonal righteousness,  but  feel  and  bewail  much  in-dwelling 
sin  and  corruption.  And, 

4th.  The  Scripture  represents  believers  as  receiving 
only  the  benefits  of  Christ's  righteousness  in  justification, 
or  their  being  pardoned  and  accepted  for  Christ's  right- 
eousness' sake.  And  this  is  the  proper  Scripture  notion 
of  imputation.  Jonathan's  righteousness  was  imputed  to 
Mephibosheth,  when  David  showed  kindness  to  him  for  his 
father  Jonathan's  sake. 


236  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

The  Hopkinsians  warmly  advocate  the  doctrine  of  the 
divine  decrees,  the  doctrine  of  particular  election,  the 
doctrine  of  total  depravity,  the  doctrine  of  the  special  in- 
fluences of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  regeneration,  the  doctrine 
of  justification  by  faith  alone,  the  final  perseverance  of  the 
saints,  and  the  consistency  between  entire  freedom  and 
absolute  dependence.  And  therefore  claim  it  as  their  just 
due,  since  the  world  will  make  distinctions,  to  be  called 
Hopkinsian  Calvinists. 

GOME-OUTERS. 

THIS  is  a  term  which  has  been  applied  to  a  considerable 
number  of  persons  in  various  parts  of  the  Northern  States, 
principally  in  New  England,  who  have  recently  come  out 
of  the  various  religious  denominations  with  which  they 
were  connected ; — hence  the  name.  They  have  not  them- 
selves assumed  any  distinctive  name,  not  regarding  them- 
selves as  a  sect,  as  they  have  not  formed,  and  do  not 
contemplate  forming,  any  religious  organization.  They 
have  no  creed,  believing  that  every  one  should  be  left 
free  to  hold  such  opinions  on  religious  subjects  as  he 
pleases,  without  being  held  accountable  for  the  same  to 
any  human  authority. 

Hence,  as  might  be  expected,  they  hold  a  diversity  of 
opinions  on  many  points  of  belief  upon  which  agreement 
is  considered  essential  by  the  generality  of  professing 
Christians.  Amongst  other  subjects  upon  which  they  dif- 
fer is  that  of  the  authority  of  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old 
and  the  New  Testaments,  some  among  them  holding  the 
prevailing  belief  of  their  divine  inspiration,  whilst  others 
regard  them  as  mere  human  compositions,  and  subject 
them  to  the  same  rules  of  criticism  as  they  do  any  other 
book,  attaching  to  them  no  authority  any  further  than  they 
find  evidence  of  their  truth.  They  believe  the  commonly- 
received  opinion  of  the  plenary  inspiration  of  the  writers 
of  those  books  to  be  unfounded,  not  claimed  by  the  writers 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  237 

themselves,  and  therefore  unscriptural,  as  well  as  unrea- 
sonable. 

Whilst,  then,  they  believe  the  authors  of  the  Gospels  to 
have  been  fallible  men,  liable  to  err  both  in  relation  to 
matters  of  fact  and  opinion,  they  believe  they  find  in  their 
•writings  abundant  evidence  of  their  honesty.  Therefore 
they  consider  their  testimony  satisfactory  as  regards  the 
main  facts  there  stated  of  the  life  of  Jesus  Christ,  at  least 
so  far.  that  there  can  be  no  difficulty  in  deducing  there- 
from the  great  principles  of  the  religion  which  he  taught. 
They  all  believe  him  to  have  been  a  divinely-inspired 
teacher,  and  his  religion,  therefore,  to  be  a  revelation  of 
eternal  truth.  They  regard  him  as  the  only  authorized 
expositor  of  his  own  religion,  and  believe  that  to  apply 
in  practice  its  principles  as  promulgated  by  him,  and  as 
exemplified  in  his  life,  is  all  that  is  essential  to  constitute 
a  Christian,  according  to  his  testimony,  (Matt.  vii.  24,) 
"Whosoever  heareth  these  sayings  of  mine,  and  doeth 
them,  I  will  liken  him  unto  a  wise  man  which  built  his 
house  upon  a  rock,"  &c.  Hence  they  believe,  that  to 
make  it  essential  to  Christianity  to  assent  to  all  the  opin- 
ions expressed  by  certain  men,  good  men  though  they 
were,  who  wrote  either  before  or  after  his  time,  involves  a 
denial  of  the  words  of  Christ.  They  believe  that,  accord- 
ing to  his  teachings,  true  religion  consists  in  purity  of 
heart,  holiness  of  life,  and  not  in  opinions ;  that  Chris- 
tianity, as  it  existed  in  the  mind  of  Christ,  is  a  life  rather 
than  a  belief. 

This  class  of  persons  agree  in  the  opinion  that  he  only 
is  a  Christian  who  has  the  spirit  of  Christ ;  that  all  such 
as  these  are  members  of  his  church,  and  that  it  is  com- 
posed of  none  others ;  therefore  that  membership  in  the 
Christian  church  is  not,  and  cannot,  in  the  nature  of  things, 
be  determined  by  any  human  authority.  Hence  they  deem 
all  attempts  to  render  the  church  identical  with  any  out- 
ward organizations  as  utterly  futile,  not  warranted  by 
Christ  himself,  and  incompatible  with  its  spiritual  charac- 
ter. Having  no  organized  society,  they  have  no  stations 


238          HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

of  autnonty  or  superiority,  which  they  believe  to  be  incori 
sistent  with  the  Christian  idea,  ( Matt,  xxiii.  8,)  "  But  be 
not  ye  called  Rabbi :  for  one  is  your  Master,  even  Christ ; 
and  all  ye  are  brethren."  (Matt.  xx.  25,  26,)  "Ye 
know  that  the  princes  of  the  Gentiles  exercise  dominion 
over  them,  and  they  that  are  great  exercise  authority  upon 
them.  But  it  shall  not  be  so  among  you." 

As  might  be  inferred  from  the  foregoing,  they  discard 
all  outward  ordinances  as  having  no  place  in  a  spiritual 
religion,  the  design  of  which  is  to  purify  the  heart,  and 
the  extent  of  whose  influence  is  to  be  estimated  by  its 
legitimate  effects  in  producing  a  life  of  practical  righteous- 
ness, and  not  by  any  mere  arbitrary  sign,  which  can- 
not be  regarded  as  a  certain  indication  of  the  degree  of 
spiritual  life,  and  must  consequently  be  inefficient  and  un- 
necessary. 

Their  views  of  worship  correspond,  as  they  believe, 
with  the  spiritual  nature  of  the  religion  they  profess.  They 
believe  that  true  Christian  worship  is  independent  of 
time  and  place  ;  that  it  has  no  connection  with  forms,  and 
ceremonies,  and  external  arrangements,  any  further  than 
these  are  the  exponents  of  a  divine  life ;  that  it  spontane- 
ously arises  from  the  pure  in  heart  at  all  times  and  in  all 
places  :  in  short,  they  regard  the  terms  Christian  worship 
and  Christian  obedience  as  synonymous,  believing  that  he 
gives  the  highest  and  only  conclusive  evidence  of  worship- 
ing the  Creator,  who  exhibits  in  his  life  the  most  perfect 
obedience  to  his  will.  These  views  they  consider  in  per- 
fect harmony  with  the  teachings  of  Jesus,  particularly  in 
his  memorable  conversation  with  the  woman  of  Samaria. 

They  also  agree  in  the  belief  that  the  religion  of  Christ 
asserts  the  equality  of  all  men  before  God ;  that  it  con- 
fers upon  no  man,  or  class  of  men,  a  monopoly  of  Heav- 
en's favours ;  neither  does  it  give  to  a  portion  of  his  chil- 
dren any  means  of  knowing  his  will  not  common  to  the 
race.  They  believe  the  laws  of  the  soul  are  so  plain,  that 
they  may  be  easily  comprehended  by  all  who  sincerely 
seek  to  know  them,  without  the  intervention  of  any  human 


HISTORY  OP  ALL   RELIGIONS.  239 

teacher  or  expounder.  Hence  they  regard  no  teaching  as 
authoritative  but  that  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  reject  all 
priesthoods  but  the  universal  priesthood  which  Christian- 
ity establishes.  They  believe  that  every  one  whose  soul 
is  imbued  with  a  knowledge  of  the  truth,  is  qualified  to  be 
its  minister,  and  it  becomes  his  duty  and  his  pleasure,  by 
his  every  word  and  action,  to  preach  it  to  the  world.  It 
follows,  then,  that,  as  Christ  prepares  and  appoints  his  own 
ministers,  and  as  they  receive  their  commissions  only  from 
him,  they  are  accountable  to  him  alone  for  their  exercise, 
and  not  to  any  human  authority  whatsoever.  They  there- 
fore reject  all  human  ordinations,  appointments,  or  control, 
or  any  designation  by  man  of  an  order  of  men  to  preach 
the  gospel,  as  invasions  of  his  rightful  prerogative. 

Amongst  the  prevailing  sins,  against  which  they  feel 
bound  to  bear  testimony,  are  slavery  and  war ;  and  it  is 
alleged  as  the  main  reason  why  many  of  them  have  dis- 
connected themselves  from  the  professedly  Christian  de- 
nominations to  which  they  belonged,  that  those  bodies 
five  their  sanction  to  those  anti-Christian  practices, 
hey  believe  slave-holding  to  be  sinful  under  all  circum- 
stances, and  that,  therefore,  it  should  be  immediately 
abandoned.  They  believe  not  only  that  national  wars 
are  forbidden  by  Christianity,  but  that  the  taking  of  hu- 
man life  for  any  purpose,  by  governments  or  individuals, 
is  incompatible  with  its  spirit.  A  large  proportion  of 
them,  also,  consider  all  resort  to  punishment,  as  a  penalty 
for  crime,  equally  inconsistent  with  the  law  of  love. 
Hence  they  deem  it  their  duty  to  withhold  their  voluntary 
sanction  or  support  from  human  governments,  and  all  in- 
stitutions which  claim  the  right  to  exercise  powers  which 
they  thus  regard  as  unlawful. 

In  various  places,  these  persons  hold  meetings  on  the 
first  day  of  the  week,  which  are  conducted  consistently 
with  their  views  of  Christian  freedom  and  equality.  It  is 
understood  that  the  object  of  thus  meeting  together,  is  to 
promote  their  spiritual  welfare.  For  this  purpose,  they 
encourage  a  free  interchange  of  sentiment  on  religious 


240  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

subjects,  without  any  restraint  or  formality.  They  have 
no  prescribed  exercises,  but  every  one  is  left  free  to  utter 
his  thoughts  as  he  may  feel  inclined ;  and  even  those  who 
difier  from  them  in  opinion  are  not  only  at  liberty,  but  are 
invited,  to  give  expression  to  their  thoughts.  They  be- 
lieve this  to  be  the  only  mode  of  holding  religious  meet- 
ings consistent  with  the  genius  of  their  religion,  and  for 
an  example  of  like  gatherings  they  refer  to  those  of  the 
primitive  Christians. 

HUTCHINSONIANS, 

HUTCHINSONIANS  are  the  followers  of  John  Hutchinson, 
born  in  Yorkshire,  16T4,  who  in  the  early  part  of  his 
life  served  the  Duke  of  Somerset  in  the  capacity  of  a  stew- 
ard. The  Hebrew  Scriptures,  he  says,  comprise  a  perfect 
system  of  natural  philosophy,  theology,  and  religion.  In 
opposition  to  Dr.  Woodward's  Natural  History  of  the 
Earth,  Mr.  Hutchinson,  in  1724,  published  the  first  part 
of  his  curious  book  called  Moses  Principia.  Its  second 
part  was  presented  to  the  public  in  1727,  which  contains, 
as  he  apprehends,  the  principles  of  the  Scripture  philoso- 
phy, which  are  a  plenum  and  the  air.  So  high  an  opin- 
ion did  he  entertain  of  the  Hebrew  language,  that  he 
thought  the  Almighty  must  have  employed  it  to  commu- 
nicate every  species  of  knowledge,  and  that  accordingly 
every  species  of  knowledge  is  to  be  found  in  the  Old  Tes- 
tament. Of  his  mode  of  philosophising,  the  following  spe- 
cimen is  brought  forward  to  the  reader's  attention :  "  The 
air  (he  supposes)  exists  in  three  conditions,  fire,  light,  and 
spirit :  the  two  latter  are  the  finer  and  grosser  parts  of  the 
air  in  motion ;  from  the  earth  to  the  sun,  the  air  is  finer 
and  finer  till  it  becomes  pure  light  near  the  confines  of  the 
sun,  and  fire  in  the  orb  of  the  sun,  or  solar  focus.  From 
the  earth  towards  the  circumference  of  this  system,  in 
which  he  includes  the  fixed  stars,  the  air  becomes  grosser 
and  grosser  till  it  becomes  stagnant,  in  which  condition 
it  is  at  the  utmost  verge  of  this  system,  from  whence  (ir* 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   BELIOIONS.  241 

his  opinion)  the  expression  of  outer  darkness,  and  black- 
ness of  darkness,  used  in  the  New  Testament,  seems  to  be 
taken." 


NESTORIANS. 

THIS  denomination,  which  arose  in  the  fifth  century,  is 
?o  called  from  Nestorius,  a  patriarch  of  Constantinople, 
who  was  born  in  Germanica,  a  city  of  Syria,  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  fourth  century.  He  was  educated  and  bap- 
tized at  Antioch,  and  soon  after  his  baptism,  withdrew  to 
a  monastery  in  the  vicinity  of  that  city.  His  great  repu- 
tation for  eloquence,  and  the  regularity  of  his  life,  induced 
the  emperor  Theodosius  to  select  him  for  the  see  of  Con- 
stantinople ;  and  he  was  consecrated  bishop  of  that  Church 
A.  D.  429.  He  became  a  violent  persecutor  of  heretics  ; 
6ut,  because  he  favored  the  doctrine  of  his  friend  Anas- 
tasius,  that  "  the  virgin  Mary  cannot  with  propriety  be 
called  the  mother  of  God,"  he  was  anathematized  by  Cy- 
ril, bishop  of  Alexandria,  who,  in  his  turn,  was  anathema- 
tized by  Nestorius.  In  the  council  of  Ephesus,  A.  D.  431, 
(the  third  General  Council  of  the  Church,)  at  which  Cyril 
presided,  and  at  which  Nestorius  was  not  present,  he  was 
judged  and  condemned  without  being  heard,  and  deprived 
of  his  see.  He  then  retired  to  his  monastery  in  Antioch, 
and  was  afterwards  banished  to  Petra,  in  Arabia,  and 
thence  to  Oasis,  in  Egypt,  where  he  died  about  A.  D. 
435  or  439. 

The  decision  of  the  council  of  Ephesus  caused  many 
difficulties  in  the  Church;  and  the  friends  of  Nestorius 
carried  his  doctrines  through  all  the  Oriental  provinces, 
and  established  numerous  congregations,  professing  an  in- 
vincible opposition  to  the  decrees  of  the  Ephesian  council. 
Nestorianism  spread  rapidly  over  the  East,  and  was  em- 
braced by  a  large  number  of  the  oriental  bishops.  Barsu- 
mus,  bishop  of  Nisibis,  labored  with  great  zeal  and  activ- 
ity to  procure  for  the  Nestorians  a  solid  and  permanent 
footing  in  Persia ;  and  his  success  was  so  remarkable  that 
16 


242  HISTORY  OF  ALL  EELIGIONS. 

his  fame  extended  throughout  the  East.  He  established 
a  school  at  Nisibis,  which  became  very  famous,  and  from 
which  issued  those  Nestorian  doctors  who,  in  that  and  tho 
following  centuries,  spread  abroad  their  tenets  through 
Egypt,  Syria,  Arabia,  India,  Tartary,  and  China. 

The  Nestorian  Church  is  Episcopal  in  its  government, 
like  all  the  Oriental  churches.  Its  doctrines,  also,  are,  in 
general,  the  same  with  those  of  those  churches,  and  they 
receive  and  repeat,  in  their  public  worship,  the  Nicene 
creed.  Their  distinguishing  doctrines  appear  to  be,  their 
believing  that  Mary  was  not  the  mother  of  Jesus  Christ, 
as  God,  but  only  as  man,  and  that  there  are,  consequently, 
two  persons,  as  well  as  two  natures,  in  the  Son  of  God. 
This  notion  was  looked  upon  in  the  earlier  ages  of  the 
Church  as  a  most  momentous  error ;  but  it  has  in  latter 
times  been  considered  more  as  an  error  of  words  than  of 
doctrine ;  and  that  the  error  of  Nestorius  was  in  the  words 
he  employed  to  express  his  meaning,  rather  than  in  the 
doctrine  itself.  While  the  Nestorians  believe .  that  Christ 
had  two  natures  and  two  persons,  they  say  "  that  these 
natures  and  persons  are  so  closely  united  that  they  have 
but  one  aspect."  Now  the  word  barsopa,  by  which  they 
express  this  aspect,  is  precisely  of  the  same  signification 
with  the  Greek  word  prosopon,  which  signifies  a  person;  and 
hence  it  is  evident  that  they  attached  to  the  word  aspect 
the  same  idea  that  we  attach  to  the  word  person,  and  that 
they  understood  by  the  word  person,  precisely  what  we 
understand  by  the  term  nature. 

The  Nestorians,  of  all  the  Christian  Churches  of  the 
East,  have  been  the  most  careful  and  successful  in  avoid- 
ing a  multitude  of  superstitious  opinions  and  practices, 
which  have  infected  the  Romish  and  many  of  the  Eastern 
churches. 

Dr.  Asahel  Grant,  an  American,  has  published  an  in- 
teresting work,  in  which  he  adduces  strong  evidence  to 
prove  that  the  Nestorians  and  the  "Lost  Tribes"  are  one 
people.  The  London  Times  of  a  recent  date  contains  the 


HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  243 

following  letter,  relating  to  the  massacre  of  a  large  body 
of  the  Nestorians,  and  the  success  of  the  Circassians  : 

"  The  Kurds,  who  for  a  long  period  have  entertained  a 
ferocious  hatred  to  this  Christian  republic,  situated  in  the 
centre  of  the  Mahometan  states,  committed,  on  their  inva- 
sion, all  kinds  of  atrocities.  The  villages  were  pillaged, 
women  and  young  girls  were  violated,  and,  in  fact,  the 
massacres  committed  were  worthy  of  a  plundering  tribe 
having  in  their  power  a  detested  enemy.  In  the  districts 
adjoining  Dzumalesk  might  be  seen  during  several  days 
the  Christian  villages  on  fire.  Some  of  those  villages 
were  burned  by  the  inhabitants  themselves,  who  fled  be- 
fore the  Pasha's  hordes,  destroying  their  property  to  pre- 
vent its  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Kurds.  The  result 
of  this  abominable  outrage  was,  that  the  Nestorians,  after 
much  bloodshed,  surrendered  their  territory  to  the  Pasha 
of  Mousul.  This  is  a  deplorable  event,  as  the  Nestorians 
of  Dzumalesk  formed  a  small  state  well  worthy  of  liberty. 
They  were  brave,  industrious,  and  peaceable.  Dr.  Grant, 
who  has  for  a  long  time  resided  at  Urmia,  has  left  for 
Mousul,  where  he  was  about  to  take  some  steps  in  favor 
of  those  persecuted  Christians." 

PELAGIANS. 

THIS  denomination  arose  in  the  fifth  century,  and  was  so 
called  from  Pelagius,  a  monk  who  looked  upon  the  doc- 
trines which  were  commonly  received,  concerning  the  ori- 
ginal corruption  of  human  nature,  and  the  necessity  of 
divine  grace  to  enlighten  the  understanding  and  purify 
the  heart,  as  prejudicial  to  the  progress  of  holiness  and 
virtue,  and  tending  to  establish  mankind  in  a  presumptu- 
ous and  fatal  security.  He  maintained  the  following  doc- 
trines : 

I.  That  the  sins  of  our  first  parents  were  imputed  to 
them  only,  and  not  to  their  posterity ;  and  that  we  derive 
no  corruption  from  their  fall ;  but  are  born  as  pure  and 


244  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

unspotted,  as  Adam  came  out  of  the  forming  hand  of  his 
Creator. 

II.  That  mankind,  therefore,  are  capable  of  repentance 
and  amendment,  and  of  arriving  at  the  highest  degrees  of 
piety  and  virtue,  by  the  use  of  their  natural  faculties  and 
powers.     That,  indeed,  external  grace  is  necessary  to  ex- 
cite their  endeavours,  but  that  they  have  no  need  of  the 
internal  succors  of  the  Divine  Spirit. 

III.  That  Adam  was,  by  nature,  mortal ;  and,  whether 
he  had  sinned  or  not,  would  certainly  have  died. 

IV.  That  the  grace  of  God  is  given  in  proportion  to 
our  merits. 

V.  That  mankind  may  arrive  at  a  state  of  perfection  in 
this  life. 

VI.  That  the  law  qualified  men  for  the  kingdom  of 
heaven,  and  was  founded  upon  equal  promises  with  the 
gospel. 


OEIGENISTS. 

ORIGEN  was  a  presbyter  of  Alexandria,  who  lived  in 
the  third  century.  He  was  a  man  of  vast  and  uncom- 
mon abilities,  who  interpreted  the  divine  truths  of  religion 
according  to  the  tenor  of  the  Platonic  philosophy.  He 
alleged,  that  the  source  of  many  evils  lies  in  adhering  to 
the  literal  and  external  part  of  Scripture ;  and  that  the 
true  meaning  of  the  sacred  writers  was  to  be  sought  in  a 
mysterious  and  hidden  sense,  arising  from  the  nature  of 
things  themselves. 

The  principal  tenets  ascribed  to  Origen,  together  with 
a  few  of  the  reasons  made  use  of  in  their  defence,  are 
comprehended  in  the  following  summary : 

I.  That  there  is  a  pre-existent  state  of  human  souls. 

For  the  nature  of  the  soul  is  such  as  makes  her  capa- 
ble of  existing  eternally,  backward,  as  well  as  forward. 
For  her  spiritual  essence,  as  such,  makes  it  impossible 
that  she  should,  either  through  age  or  violence,  be  dis- 
solved :  so  that  nothing  is  wanting  to  her  existence,  but 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  245 

His  good  pleasure,  from  whom  all  things  proceed.  And 
if,  according  to  the  Platonic  scheme,  we  assign  the  pro- 
duction of  all  things  to  the  exuberant  fulness  of  life  in 
the  Deity,  which,  through  the  blessed  necessity  of  his 
communicative  nature,  empties  itself  into  all  possibilities 
of  being,  as  into  so  many  capable  receptacles,  we  must 
suppose  her  existence,  in  a  sense  necessary  and  in  a 
degree,  co-eternal  with  God. 

II.  That  souls  were  condemned  to  animate  mortal  bo- 
dies, in  order  to  expiate  faults  they  had  committed  in  a 
pre-existent  state. 

For  we  may  be  assured,  from  the  infinite  goodness  of 
their  Creator,  that  they  were  at  first  joined  to  the  purest 
matter,*  and  placed  in  those  regions  of  the  universe 
which  were  most  suitable  to  the  purity  of  essence  they 
then  possessed ;  for  that  the  souls  of  men  are  an  order  of 
essentially  incorporate  spirits,  their  deep  immersion  into 
terrestrial  matter,  the  modification  of  all  their  operations 
by  it,  and  the  heavenly  body,  promised  in  the  Gospel,  as 
the  highest  perfection  of  our  renewed  nature,  clearly 
evince.  Therefore,  if  our  souls  existed  before  they  ap- 
peared inhabitants  of  the  earth,  they  were  placed  in  a 
purer  element,  and  enjoyed  far  greater  degrees  of  happi- 
ness. And  certainly,  He  whose  overflowing  goodness 
brought  them  into  existence,  would  not  deprive  them  of 
their  felicity,  until,  by  their  mutability,  they  rendered 
themselves  less  pure  in  the  whole  extent  of  their  powers, 
and  became  disposed  for  the  susception  of  such  a  degree 
of  corporeal  life,  as  was  exactly  answerable  to  their  pre- 
sent disposition  of  ppirit.  Hence  it  was  necessary,  that 
they  should  become  terrestrial  men. 

III.  That  the  soul  of  Christ  was  united  to  the  "Word 
before  the  incarna'ion.f 

*  Origen  supposed  fhat  our  souls,  being  incorporeal  and  invisible, 
always  stand  in  need  (  bodies  suitable  to  the  nature  of  the  places  where 
they  exist. 

f  See  this  subjec*  tiore  fully  illustrated  in  Dr.  Watts'  Glory  of 
Christ. 


246  HISTORY  CF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

For  the  Scriptures  teach  us,  that  the  soul  of  the  Mes- 
siah was  created  before  the  beginning  of  the  world.  See 
Phil.  ii.  5,  6,  7.  This  text  must  be  understood  of  Christ's 
human  soul,  because  it  is  unusual  to  propound  the  Deity 
as  an  example  of  humility,  in  scripture.  Though  the  hu- 
manity of  Christ  was  so  God-like,  he  emptied  himself  of 
this  fulness  of  life  and  glory,  to  take  upon  him  the  form 
of  a  servant.  It  was  this  Messiah,  who  conversed  with 
the  patriarchs  under  a  human  form :  it  was  he,  who  ap- 
peared to  Moses  upon  the  Holy  Mount :  it  was  he,  who 
spoke  to  the  prophets  under  a  visible  appearance ;  and  it 
is  he,  who  will  at  last  come  in  triumph  upon  the  clouds, 
to  restore  the  universe  to  its  primitive  splendor  and 
felicity. 

IV.  That,  at  the  resurrection,  we  shall  be  clothed  with 
ethereal  bodies. 

For  the  elements  of  our  terrestrial  compositions  are 
such,  as  almost  fatally  entangle  us  in  vice,  passion,  and 
misery.  The  purer  the  vehicle  *he  soul  is  united  with, 
the  more  perfect  is  her  life  and  operations.  Besides,  the 
Supreme  Goodness,  who  made  all  things,  assures  us,  he 
made  all  things  best  at  first ;  and  therefore,  his  recovery 
of  us  to  our  lost  happiness  (which  is  the  design  of  the 
Gospel)  must  restore  us  to  our  better  bodies  and  happier 
habitations ;  which  is  evident  from  1  Cor.  xv.  49,  2  Cor. 
v.  1,  and  other  texts  of  Scripture. 

V.  That,  after  long  periods  of  time,  the  damned  shall 
be  released  from  their  torments,  and  restored  to  a  new 
state  of  probation. 

For  the  Deity  has  such  reserves  in  his  gracious  provi- 
dence as  will  vindicate  his  sovereign  goodness  and  wis- 
dom from  all  disparagement.  Expiatory  pains  are  a  part 
of  his  adorable  plan.  For  this  sharper  kind  of  favor 
has  a  righteous  place  in  such  creatures  as  are  by  nature 
mutable.  Though  sin  has  extinguished  or  silenced  the 
divine  life,  yet  it  has  not  destroyed  the  faculties  of  rea- 
son and  understanding,  consideration  and  memory,  which 
will  serve  the  life,  which  is  most  powerful.  If  therefore, 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  247 

the  vigorous  attraction  of  the  sensual  nature  be  abated  by 
a  ceaseless  pain,  these  powers  may  resume  the  seeds  of  a 
better  life  and  nature. 

As  in  the  material  system,  there  is  a  gravitation  of  the 
less  bodies  towards  the  greater,  there  must  of  necessity, 
be  something  analogous  to  this  in  the  intellectual  system : 
and  since  the  spirits  created  by  God  are  emanations  and 
streams  from  his  own  abyss  of  being,  and  as  self-existent 
power  must  needs  subject  all  beings  to  itself,  the  Deity 
could  not  but  impress  upon  her  intimate  natures  and  sub- 
Btances,  a  central  tendency  towards  himself,  an  essential 
principle  of  reunion  to  their  great  original. 

VI.  That  the  earth,  after  its  conflagration,  shall  become 
habitable  again,  and  be  the  mansion  of  men  and  other 
animals,  and  that  in  eternal  vicissitudes. 

For  it  is  thus  expressed  in  Isaiah :  "  Behold,  I  make 
new  heavens  and  a  new  earth;"  and  in  Heb.  i.  10-12 
"Thou,  Lord,  in  the  beginning  hast  laid  the  foundations 
of  the  earth:  As  a  vesture  shalt  thou  change  them, 
and  they  shall  be  changed."  Where  there  is  only  a 
change,  the  substance  is  not  destroyed;  this  change  being 
only  as  that  of  a  garment  worn  out  and  decaying.  The 
fashion  of  the  world  passes  away  like  a  turning  scene,  to 
exhibit  a  fresh  and  new  representation  of  things ;  and  if 
only  the  present  dress  and  appearance  of  things  go  off,  the 
substance  is  supposed  to  remain  entire. 

QUIETISTS, 

THIS  name  has  been  generally  applied  to  a  class  of  en- 
thusiasts, who  conceive  the  great  object  of  religion  to  be 
the  absorption  of  all  human  sentiments  and  passions  into 
devout  contemplation  and  love  of  God.  This  idea  has 
found  its  admirers  and  encomiasts  in  all  ages.  A  sect 
called  by  this  name  (in  Greek  Hesycliastce)  existed  among 
the  religious  of  Mount  Athos ;  and  in  the  17th  century 
it  was  given  in  France  to  a  peculiar  class  of  devout  per- 
sons with  a  tendency  towards  a  higher  spiritual  devotion, 


248  HISTORY   OF   ALL   HELIGIOtfS. 

"which  seems  to  have  arisen,  in  a  great  measure,  out  of  a 
natural  oposition  to  the  hierarchical  coldness  and  positive 
immorality  of  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  at  that  time, 
especially  under  the  influence  of  the  Jesuits. 

A  Spanish  priest,  Molinos,  published  at  Rome  a  work 
entitled  The  Spiritual  Gruide  (1657),  of  which  the  ardent 
language  attracted  a  multitude  of  partisans.  Its  leading 
feature  was  the  description  of  the  happiness  of  a  soul  re- 
posing in  perfect  quiet  on  God,  so  as  to  become  conscious 
of  his  presence  only,  and  untroubled  by  external  things. 
He  even  advanced  so  far  as  to  maintain  that  the  soul,  in 
its  highest  state  of  perfection,  is  removed  even  beyond 
the  contemplation  of  God  himself,  and  is  solely  occupied 
in  the  passive  reception  of  divine  influences.  The  work 
of  Molinos  was  afterwards  condemned  on  the  application 
of  the  Jesuits. 

Akin  to  the  ideas  of  Molinos  seems  to  have  been  those 
of  the  French  Quietists,  of  whom  Madame  de  la  Motte 
Guyon  and  Eenelon  are  the  most  celebrated  names.  The 
former  was  at  one  time  treated  as  insane,  on  account  of 
some  strange  delusions  which  led  her  to  represent  herself 
(unless  she  was  calumniated)  as  the  mystical  woman  of 
the  Apocalypse ;  at  another  she  was  admitted  to  the  inti- 
macy of  Madame  de  Maintenon,  and  high  in  court  favor, 
Fenelon  praised  her  in  his  treatise  Sur  la  Vie  Interieure 
(1691),  in  which  many  of  the  most  dangerous  tenets  of 
Quietism  were  contained.  The  writings  of  the  latter  upon 
this  subject  were  finally  condemned  by  Innocent  XII; 
and  the  example  of  the  Archbishop  in  submitting  to  the 
decision,  and  declaring  himself  satisfied  and  convinced  by 
the  opinion  of  the  church,  has  been  dwelt  on  by  pious 
writers  as  a  signal  triumph  of  a  truly  religious  mind. 

The  dissolute  conduct  of  some  hypocritical  priests,  un- 
der the  pretence  of  inculcating  the  tenets  and  practice  of 
Quietism,  brought  it  eventually  into  disrepute  more  than 
the  repeated  condemnations  of  the  head  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  church. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  249 


MANICHEISTS. 

THESE  were  the  followers  of  Manes,  an  Oriental  heretic 
of  the  third  century,  who,  having  been  ordained  a  Chris- 
tian presbyter,  attempted  to  effect  a  combination  between 
the  religion  which  he  was  appointed  to  preach,  and  the 
current  philosophical  systems  of  the  East.  He  pursued 
herein  the  same  course  as  the  Yalentinians,  Basilidians, 
and  many  others,  whose  leading  ideas  may  be  denominated 
Gnostic.  He  maintained  a  dualism  of  principles  govern- 
ing the  world,  and  a  succession  of  dualisms  generated  from 
them,  like  the  Gnostic  aeons. 

All  things  were  effected  by  the  combination  or  repul- 
sion of  the  good  and  the  bad ;  men  had  a  double  soul, 
good  and  evil ;  even  their  bodies  were  supposed  to  be 
formed,  the  upper  half  by  God,  the  lower  by  the  devil. 
The  Old  Testament  was  referred  to  the  inspiration  of  the 
evil  principle,  the  New  to  that  of  the  good.  In  the  latter, 
however,  Manes  proposed  many  alterations,  and  main- 
tained also  the  authenticity  of  various  apocryphal  Scrip- 
tures. A  great  part  of  his  system  related  to  cosmogony 
and  psychology,  in  which  fields  of  speculation  he  expatiated 
with  the  most  arbitrary  freedom.  Like  most  other  Oriental 
systems,  the  Manichean  heresy  was  celebrated  alike  for 
the  austerities  which  it  enjoined,  and  for  the  scandalous 
excesses  which  were  attributed  to  its  most  zealous  votaries. 
The  charge  of  Manicheism,  which  in  latter  times  becomes 
scarcely  intelligible,  was  frequently  brought  against  the 
early  reforming  sects,  such  as  the  Albigenses,  Waldenses, 
and  Picards. 

Manes  commanded  his  followers  to  mortify  and  mace- 
rate the  body,  which  he  looked  upon  as  essentially  cor- 
rupt ;  to  deprive  it  of  all  those  objects  which  could  con- 
tribute either  to  its  convenience  or  delight ;  to  extirpate 
all  those  desires  which  lead  to  the  pursuit  of  external  ob- 
jects ;  and  to  divest  themselves  of  all  the  passions  and  in- 
stincts of  nature. 


250  HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


DISCIPLES  OF  CHRIST,  OR  CAMPBSLLITES. 

SEVERAL  important  movements  of  a  reformatory  nature 
have  occurred  in  the  American  Church  during  its  past  his- 
tory ;  one  of  the  most  influential  and  extensive  of  which 
was  that  effected  by  Thomas  and  Alexander  Campbell, 
and  which  is  now  embodied  in  the  denomination  known  by 
the  title  of  "  Disciples  of  Christ,"  or  by  the  more  popular 
epithet  of  "  Campbellites."  Shortly  after  the  commence- 
ment of  the  present  century,  the  Rev.  Thomas  Campbell, 
a  prominent  clergyman  of  the  Seceder  Church,  emigrated 
from  the  North  of  Ireland  to  the  United  States,  and  loca- 
ted in  Washington  county,  Pennsylvania.  He  was  ac- 
companied by  his  son  Alexander,  at  that  time  a  young 
man,  and  possessing  superior  talents,  who  had  just  com- 
pleted his  studies  for  the  ministry.  Both  of  these  labored 
at  first  among  the  destitute  Seceder  Churches  in  the  west- 
ern part  of  Pennsylvania,  and  as  they  became  more 
thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  state  of  sects  and  denomi- 
nations in  this  country,  and  observed  the  vast  variety  and 
number  of  religious  organizations  which  here  existed,  they 
conceived  the  idea  of  accomplishing  an  union  between  them. 
The  restoration  of  the  primitive  unity  of  the  Christian 
Church  was  the  prominent  purpose  for  which  they  deter- 
mined to  labor. 

The  Campbells  began  to  preach  among  the  Seceders 
with  reference  to  this  object,  and  to  aid  in  the  accomplish- 
ment of  it,  they  resolved  to  discard  all  human  creeds  and 
confessions,  and  receive  the  Scriptures  as  the  only  source 
of  instruction  and  authority  in  the  development  and  deter- 
mination of  religious  truth.  They  denied  that  confessions 
of  faith  were  necessary,  or  even  useful,  to  the  success  or 
purity  of  the  Christian  Church ;  and  they  contended  that 
the  impartial  and  enlightened  interpretation  of  the  Biblo 
would  infallibly  lead  mankind  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth. 

These  views  were  of  course  very  obnoxious  to  the  rigor- 
ous sect  of  Seceders  to  which  the  Campbells  belonged- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

sect  who  had  experienced  innumerable  splits 
divisions  and  subdivisions,  in  reference  to  the 
and  insignificant  points  of  Christian  doctrine  and 
The  Campbells  accordingly  withdrew  from  them 
tablished  a  congregation  on  Brush  Run,  in  Washington 
county,  in  this  State  in  1810,  which  thus  became  the  foun- 
dation of  their  future  organization — the  birthplace  of  one 
of  the  most  numerous  and  influential  denominations  now 
existing  in  the  southern  and  western  States.  The  princi- 
ple on  which  the  new  Church  was  founded  was  simply 
this  :  That  nothing  should  be  received  as  a  doctrine  of  be- 
lief, or  as  a  maxim  of  duty,  for  which  there  could  not  be 
produced  the  authority  of  Scripture,  either  directly  ex- 
pressed or  indirectly  implied  by  inference  or  example. 

Guided  by  this  principle,  the  Campbells  proceeded  in 
the  free  examination  of  the  Bible,  and  arrived  at  the  con- 
clusion, as  among  the  first  fruits  of  their  inquiries,  that 
infant  baptism  was  a  usage  not  enjoined  or  approved  by 
Scripture,  and  consequently  improper.  They  also  ob- 
jected to  sprinkling,  and  contended  that  immersion  was 
the  only  legitimate  and  valid  method  of  administering  the 
ordinance  of  baptism.  In  consequence  of  this  expression 
of  views,  the  Campbells  and  their  adherents  were  invited 
to  become  members  of  the  Redstone  Baptist  Association. 
They  did  so  in  1813,  and  Alexander  Campbell  was  ap- 
pointed the  "Messenger"  of  the  Brush  Run  Church  to 
that  association.  Even  among  these  people,  however,  Mr. 
Campbell's  views  were  singular  and  extreme  in  consequence 
of  their  liberality ;  his  talents  were  so  commanding,  and 
his  influence  soon  became  so  great,  that  the  utmost  jeal- 
ousy was  excited.  About  this  period  he  engaged  in  seve- 
ral public  discussions  on  theological  topics,  which  greatly 
extended  his  fame.  One  of  these  was  with  Rev.  J.  Wal- 
ker, a  Seceder  minister ;  the  other  was  with  Mr.  McCalla, 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church.  Both  debates  discussed  the 
subject  of  baptism,  and  the  result  in  both  instances  was  to 
create  many  converts  to  Mr.  Campbell's  doctrine. 

His  adherents  had  become  so  numerous  in  1828,  that  in 


252  HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

that  year  a  convention  of  preachers  took  place,  composed 
chiefly  of  members  of  the  Redstone  Association,  whose 
object  was  to  consider  the  ancient  and  apostolic  order  of 
the  church,  and  see  what  could  be  done  to  restore  it.  Af- 
ter proper  deliberation  they  determined  to  reject  all  hu- 
man creeds,  all  ecclesiastical  carpentry  in  the  shape  of 
confessions  and  formulas,  and,  receiving  the  Bible  as  the 
only  source  of  authority,  live  and  preach  accordingly. 
This  principle  led  them  to  the  rejection  of  many  usages 
which  had  been  observed  by  the  Baptists,  with  whom  they 
had  formerly  been  associated.  Thus  a  new  sect  was  or- 
ganized, based  on  different  principles  and  characterized  by 
different  practices  from  surrounding  sects ;  but  the  purpose 
of  the  new  society  was  to  attain  unity  by  the  adoption  of 
a  free  and  catholic  principle  which  could  attract  and  ulti- 
mately embrace  members  of  the  various  sects,  and  thus 
incorporate  them  into  one.  From  this  period  the  "  Dis- 
ciples" formed  a  separate  organization,  the  professed  ob- 
ject of  which  was  to  restore  pure  and  primitive  Christianity 
both  in  letter  and  spirit,  in  doctrine  and  in  practice. 

In  accordance  with  this  principle  the  establishment  of 
the  doctrinal  belief  of  this  denomination  has  been  progres- 
sive in  its  nature,  and  the  different  leading  theories  which 
they  entertain  have  been  developed  successively.  The 
starting  point  was  the  essential  nature  and  importance  of 
Christian  unity  in  the  Christian  church.  Ten  years  after- 
wards the  doctrine  of  the  immersion  of  adults  was  accepted 
as  the  only  proper  mode  of  baptism,  and  as  the  only  means 
by  which  men  could  obtain  remission  of  sins,  and  could  ap- 
propriate to  themselves  the  blessings  of  the  gospel.  And 
thus  all  the  other  leading  doctrines  which  they  now  enter- 
tain were  successively  approved  and  adopted. 

Alexander  Campbell,  the  chief  founder  of  this  denomi- 
nation, was  without  question  one  of  the  ablest  polemics 
and  theologians  in  this  country.  He  conducted  many 
public  debates,  some  of  which  have  been  with  the  most 
eminent  men  of  the  day — such  as  Bishop  Purcell,  of  Cin- 
cinnati, on  the  subject  of  Romanism  and  Protestantism, 


HISTORY  OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  253 

and  Mr.  Robert  Owen  on  Infidelity  and  Socialism.  In 
both  of  these  great  logical  tournaments  Mr.  Campbell 
was  confessedly  the  victor.  He  has  spent  a  long  and 
active  life  in  preaching  the  doctrines  which  he  believes, 
and  in  establishing  churches  and  institutions  which  are 
intended  to  diffuse  education  and  theological  knowledge 
among  the  community.  His  efforts  have  been  highly  suc- 
cessful. His  followers  at  this  time  are  very  numerous  in 
Virginia,  Kentucky,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  and  Missouri; 
and  the  whole  number  of  communicants  belonging  to  the 
Disciples'  churches  is  about  two  hundred  and  fifty  thou- 
sand, while  their  ministers  number  between  two  and  three 
thousand. 

Among  the  leading  peculiarities  of  this  denomination 
are  the  following :  they  practice  weekly  communion,  the 
Lord's  Supper  being  administered  in  a  simple  manner  on 
every  Sunday.  They  are  not  in  favor  of  close  commu- 
nion, but  are  very  liberal  and  charitable  in  this  respect, 
permitting  persons  of  piety  belonging  to  other  sects  to 
commune  with  them.  They  observe  the  first  day  of  the 
week,  not  as  a  Jewish  or  Christian  Sabbath,  but  as  a  day 
commemorative  simply  of  Christ's  resurrection,  and  use- 
ful as  a  season  of  religious  worship.  They  condemn  all 
written  creeds  and  formulas  of  faith.  Their  church  gov- 
ernment is  congregational,  each  society  having  exclusive 
control  of  its  own  affairs.  They  believe  that  the  Scrip- 
tures are  the  means  employed  by  the  Spirit  to  lead  men  to 
repentance,  and  that  the  contents  of  the  Scriptures  are  the 
direct  source  of  that  faith  by  which  the  Gospel  is  received 
savingly  and  effectually.  They  discard  the  use  of  all  hu- 
man terms  and  phraseology  in  speaking  of  religious  truth, 
such  as  the  "trinity,"  "triune"  &c.,  confining  themselves 
to  the  very  words  employed  in  Scripture.  In  consequence 
of  this  peculiarity,  they  have  been  charged  with  denying 
the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity ;  but  the  truth  is,  that  they  be- 
lieve and  receive  every  thing  which  the  Scriptures  affirm 
and  teach  in  reference  to  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  tho 
Holy  Spirit. 


254  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 


FLAGELLANTS. 

THIS  denomination  sprang  up  in  Italy  in  the  year 
1260,  and  was  thence  propagated  through  almost  all  the 
countries  of  Europe.  They  derive  their  name  from  the 
Latin  flagello^  to  whip.  The  society  that  embraced  this 
new  discipline  ran  in  multitudes,  composed  of  persons  of 
both  sexes,  and  all  ranks  and  ages,  through  the  public 
streets,  with  whips  in  their  hands,  lashing  their  naked  bo- 
dies with  the  most  astonishing  severity,  with  a  view  to 
obtain  the  divine  mercy  for  themselves  and  others,  by 
their  voluntary  mortification  and  penance.  This  sect 
made  their  appearance  anew  in  the  fourteenth  century, 
and  taught,  among  other  things,  that  flagellation  was  of 
equal  virtue  with  baptism  and  the  other  sacraments ;  that 
the  forgiveness  of  all  sins  was  to  be  obtained  by  it  from 
God,  without  the  merit  of  Jesus  Christ ;  that  the  old  law 
of  Christ  was  soon  to  be  abolished,  and  that  a  new  law, 
enjoining  the  baptism  of  blood,  to  be  administered  by 
whipping,  was  to  be  substituted  in  its  place. 

A  new  denomination  of  Whippers  arose  in  the  fifteenth 
century,  who  rejected  the  sacraments  and  every  branch 
of  external  worship,  and  placed  their  only  hopes  of  salva- 
tion in  faith  and.  flagellation. 

FBATKES  ALBATI. 

A  NAME  which  distinguished  a  denomination  in  the  fif- 
teenth century.  They  owed  their  origin  to  a  certain 
priest,  who  descended  from  the  Alps,  arrayed  in  a  white 
garment,  and  accompanied  with  a  prodigious  number  of 
both  sexes,  who,  after  the  example  of  their  chief,  were 
also  clothed  in  white  linen.  Hence  they  acquired  the 
name  Fratres  Albati,  i.  e.  White  Brethren.  They  went 
in  a  kind  of  procession  through  several  provinces,  follow- 
ing a  cross,  which  their  leader  held  erected  like  a  stan- 
dard, and  by  the  striking  appearance  of  their  sanctity  and 


HISTORY  OP  ALL  RELIGIONS.  255 

devotion,  captivated  to  such  a  degree  the  minds  of  the 
people,  that  persons  of  all  ranks  and  orders  flocked  in 
crowds  to  augment  their  number.  The  new  chief  exhorted 
his  followers  to  appease  the  anger  of  an  incensed  Deity ; 
emaciated  his  body  by  voluntary  acts  of  mortification  and 
penanoe,  endeavored  to  persuade  the  European  nations 
to  renew  war  against  the  Turks  in  Palestine ;  and  pre- 
tended, that  he  was  favored  with  divine  visions,  which  in- 
structed him  in  the  will  and  in  the  secrets  of  heaven. 

FRENCH  PROPHETS. 

THESE  first  appeared  in  Dauphiny  and  Vivarais.  In  the 
year  1688,  five  or  six  hundred  Protestants  of  both  sexes 
gave  themselves  out  to  be  Prophets,  and  inspired  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  They  soon  became  so  numerous,  that  there 
were  many  thousands  of  them  inspired.  They  had  strange 
fits,  which  came  upon  them  with  tremblings  and  faintings 
as  in  a  swoon,  which  made  them  stretch  out  their  arms 
and  legs,  and  stagger  several  times  before  they  dropped 
down.  They  struck  themselves  with  their  hands;  they 
fell  on  their  backs ;  shut  their  eyes,  and  heaved  with  their 
breasts.  They  remained  a  while  in  trances,  and  coming 
out  of  them  with  twitchings,  uttered  all  which  came  into 
their  mouths.  They  said  they  saw  the  heavens  open,  the 
angels,  paradise,  and  hell.  Those  who  were  just  on  the 
point  of  receiving  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  dropped  down, 
not  only  in  the  assemblies,  crying  out  mercy,  but  in  the 
fields,  and  in  their  own  houses.  The  least  of  their  assem- 
blies made  up  four  or  five  hundred,  and  some  of  them 
amounted  to  even  three  or  four  thousand  persons.  When 
the  Prophets  had  for  a  while  been  under  agitations  of 
body,  they  began  to  prophesy.  The  burden  of  their  pro- 
phecies was,  "  Amend  your  lives ;  repent  ye ;  the  end  of 
all  things  draws  nigh."  The  hills  rebounded  with  their 
loud  cries  for  mercy ;  and  with  imprecations  against  the 
Priests,  the  Church,  the  Pope,  and  against  the  Anti- 
Christian  dominion ;  with  predictions  of  the  approaching 


256  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

fall  of  Popery.  All  they  said  at  these  times  was  heard 
and  received  with  reverence  and  awe. 

In  the  year  1706,  three  or  four  of  these  Prophets  came 
over  into  England,  and  brought  their  prophetic  spirit  along 
with  them ;  which  discovered  itself  in  the  same  ways  and 
manners,  by  ecstasies,  and  agitations,  and  inspirations  un- 
der them,  as  it  had  done  in  France.  And  they  propaga- 
ted the  like  spirit  to  others,  so  that  before  the  year  was 
out,  there  were  two  or  three  hundred  of  these  Prophets  in 
and  about  London,  of  both  sexes,  of  all  ages,  men,  women, 
and  children ;  and  they  had  delivered,  under  inspiration, 
four  or  five  hundred  prophetic  warnings. 

The  great  thing  they  pretended  by  their  spirit  was,  to 
give  warning  of  the  near  approach  of  the  kingdom  of  God, 
the  happy  times  of  the  Church,  the  millennium  state. 
Their  message  was,  (and  they  were  to  proclaim  it  as  her- 
alds to  the  Jews,  and  every  nation  under  heaven,  begin- 
ning first  at  England,)  That  the  grand  jubilee ;  the  accep- 
table year  of  the  Lord ;  the  accomplishment  of  those  nu- 
merous scriptures  concerning  the  new  heavens  and  the 
new  earth ;  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah ;  the  marriage  of 
the  Lamb ;  the  first  resurrection ;  or  the  new  Jerusalem 
descending  from  above,  were  now  even  at  the  door.  That 
this  great  operation  was  to  be  wrought,  on  the  part  of 
man,  by  spiritual  arms  only,  proceeding  from  the  mouths 
of  those,  who  should,  by  inspiration,  or  the  mighty  gift  of 
the  Spirit,  be  sent  forth  in  great  numbers  to  labor  in  the 
vineyard.  That  this  mission  of  his  servants  should  be 
witnessed  to,  by  signs  and  wonders  from  heaven,  by  a  del- 
uge of  judgments  on  the  wicked  universally  throughout 
the  world,  as  famine,  pestilence,  earthquakes,  &c.  That 
the  exterminating  angels  shall  root  out  the  tares,  and 
there  shall  remain  upon  earth  only  good  corn.  And  the 
works  of  men  being  thrown  down,  there  shall  be  but  one 
Lord,  one  faith,  one  heart,  and  one  voice,  among  mankind. 
They  declared,  that  all  the  great  things  they  spoke  of, 
would  be  manifest  over  the  whole  earth,  within  the  term 
of  three  years. 


HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  257 

These  Prophets  also  pretended  to  the  gift  of  languages ; 
of  discerning  the  secrets  of  the  heart ;  the  gift  of  ministra- 
tion of  the  same  spirit  to  others  by  the  laying  on  of  hands, 
and  the  gift  of  healing. 

To  prove  they  were  really  inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost, 
they  alleged  the  complete  joy  and  satisfaction  they  expe- 
rienced ;  the  spirit  of  prayer  which  was  poured  forth  upon 
them ;  and  the  answer  of  their  prayers  by  God. 

LABBADISTS. 

A  DENOMINATION  which  arose  in  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury ;  so  called  from  their  founder  John  Labbadie,  a  native 
of  France,  a  man  of  no  mean  genius,  and  remarkable  for 
a  natural  and  masculine  eloquence.  He  maintained 
among  other  things : 

I.  That  God  might,  and  did,  on  certain  occasions,  de- 
ceive men. 

II.  That  the  Holy  Scripture  was  not  sufficient  to  lead 
men  to  salvation,  without  certain  particular  illuminations 
and  revelations  from  the  Holy  Ghost. 

III.  That  in  reading  the  Scripture  we  ought  to  give  less 
attention  to  the  literal  sense  of  the  words,  than  to  the  in- 
ward suggestions  of  the  Spirit :  and  that  the  efficacy  of  the 
word  depended  upon  him  that  preached  it. 

IV.  That  the  faithful  ought  to  have  all  things  in  common. 

V.  That  there  is  no  subordination,  or  distinction  in  the 
true  church  of  Christ. 

YI.  That  Christ  was  to  reign  a  thousand  years  upon 
earth. 

VII.  That  the  contemplative  life  is  a  state  of  grace  and 
union  with  God,  and  the  very  height  of  perfection. 

VIII.  That  the  Christian,  whose  mind  is  contented  and 
calm,  sees  all  things  in  God,  enjoys  the  Deity,  and  is  per- 
fectly indifferent  about  every  thing  that  passes  in  the  world. 

IX.  That  the  Christian  arrives  at  that  happy  state  by 
the  exercise  of  a  perfect  self-denial,  by  mortifying  the 
flesh  and  all  sensual  affections,  and  by  mental  prayer. 

17 


258  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 


LATITUDINARIANS. 

A  NAME  which  distinguished  those  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  who  attempted  to  bring  Episcopalians,  Presby- 
terians, and  Independents  into  one  communion,  by  coin- 
promising  the  difference  between  them.  The  chief  leaders 
of  this  denomination  were  Hales  and  Chillingworth,  men 
of  distinguished  wisdom  and  piety.  The  respectable 
names  of  More,  Cudworth,  Gale,  Whitchcot,  and  Tillotson, 
add  a  high  degree  of  lustre  to  this  eminent  list. 

They  were  zealously  attached  to  the  forms  of  ecclesias- 
tical government  and  worship,  which  were  established  in 
the  church  of  England ;  but  they  did  not  look  upon  Epis- 
copacy as  absolutely  and  indispensably  necessary  to  the  con- 
stitution of  the  Christian  church.  Hence  they  maintained, 
that  those  who  followed  other  forms  of  government  and 
worship,  were  not,  on  that  account,  to  be  excluded  from 
the  communion,  or  to  forfeit  the  title  of  brethren.  They 
reduced  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  Christianity  to  a  few 
points. 

By  this  way  of  proceeding  they  showed,  that  neither  the 
Episcopalians,  who,  generally  speaking,  were  Arminians, 
nor  the  Presbyterians  and  Independents,  who  as  generally 
adopted  the  doctrines  of  Calvin,  had  any  reason  to  oppose 
each  other  with  such  animosity  and  bitterness  ;  since  the 
subjects  of  their  debates  were  matters  of  an  indifferent  na- 
ture with  respect  to  salvation,  and  might  be  variously  ex- 
plained and  understood,  without  any  prejudice  to  their 
eternal  interests. 


LIBERTINES. 

THIS  denomination  arose  in  Flanders  about  the  year 
1525;  the  heads  of  this  party  were  one  Copin  and  one 
Quintin  of  Picardy. 

The  doctrines  they  taught,  are  comprised  in  the  follow- 
ing propositions ; 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  259 

I.  That  the  Deity  was  the  sole  operating  cause  in  the 
mind  of  man,  and  the  immediate  author  of  all  human 
actions. 

II.  That,  consequently,  the  distinctions  of  good   and 
evil,  that  had  been  established  with  respect  to  those  actions, 
were  false  and  groundless,  and  that  man  could  not  properly 
speaking,  commit  sin. 

III.  That  religion  consisted  in  the  union  of  the  spirit, 
or  rational  soul,  with  the  Supreme  Being. 

IY.  That  all  those  who  had  attained  this  happy  union, 
by  sublime  contemplation,  and  elevation  of  mind,  were 
then  allowed  to  indulge,  without  exception  or  restraint, 
their  appetites  and  passions,  as  all  their  actions  were  then 
perfectly  innocent. 

V.  That  after  the  death  of  the  body,  they  were  to  be 
united  to  the  Deity. 

CHINESE. 

Four  different  systems  of  religion  are  tolerated  and 
even  upheld  by  the  people  and  government  of  China. 
The  most  ancient  is  that  of  the  sect  of  Tau,  founded 
by  a  native  philosopher  about  600  years  before  Christ. 
The  founder  is  worshipped  under  the  name  of  Shangtee, 
Supreme  Lord,  while  a  host  of  tutelary  divinities,  the 
wind,  rain,  thunder,  etc.,  are  personified  and  wor- 
shipped, and  Emperors,  warriors,  and  illustrious  men 
are  considered  demi-gods.  All  these  objects  of  devo- 
tion are  embodied  in  idols  of  various  shapes,  which  are 
kept  in  every  house.  The  votaries  regard  tbe  highest 
happiness  attainable,  to  be  that  of  perfect  tranquillity, 
and  utter  indifference  to  every  thing,  past,  present,  or 
future. 

This  sect  being  the  most  ancient,  is  probably  the 
most  influential  at  the  present  day.  It  was  at  one 
time,  almost  the  only  religion  of  the  empire. 

The  next  in  point  of  influence,  is  a  modified  Bud- 


260  HISTORY  OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

dhism,  the  worship  of  Fo,  which  was  introduced  about 
the  year  A.  D.  69. 

Before  the  death  of  Fo,  he  is  said  to  have  called 
his  disciples  together,  and  instructed  them  that 
there  was  no  other  principle  of  things  than  a  vacuum, 
or  nothing;  that  from  nothing  all  things  sprung; 
that  to  nothing  all  will  return,  and  that  thus  will 
end  all  our  hopes  and  fears.  After  his  death,  the 
disciples  told  multitudes  of  fables  concerning  him, 
such  as  that  he  was  still  alive,  and  had  been  born  8000 
times,  appearing  in  the  form  of  an  ape,  a  lion,  a 
dragon,  an  elephant,  etc.  His  last  words  caused  dis- 
sensions among  his  followers,  some  adopting  his  last 
atheistical  views,  others  attempting  to  reconcile  his 
last  teachings  with  his  earlier  tenets.  The  creed  was 
classified  as  internal  doctrine  and  external  doctrine. 
Those  who  hold  to  the  internal  doctrine,  believe  in 
the  most  a'bsurd  atheism,  such  as,  that  nothing  is  the 
beginning  and  end  of  all  things :  that  all  beings  are 
the  same,  differing  only  in  figure  and  quality,  that  the 
supreme  happiness  of  man  is  in  acquiring  a  resemblance 
to  this  principle  of  nothing,  accustoming  himself  to  do 
nothing,  to  feel  nothing,  and  to  desire  nothing:  that 
perfection  is  reached  when  all  bodily  motion,  mental 
activity,  and  sensation  cease;  that  when  this  divine 
insensibility  is  .attained,  we  have  nothing  to  do  with 
virtue  or  -vice,  rewards  or  punishments,  providence  or 
immortality,  and  have  no  changes,  transmigrations  or 
futurities  to  fear,  but  have  ceased  to  exist,  and  become 
perfect  like  the  god  Fo. 

The  external  doctrine  teaches  a  distinction  between 
good  and  evil,  a  reward  for  the  good  and  punishment 
for  the  wicked  after  death.  It  acknowledges  trans- 
migration of  souls  through  different  animals  until  pre- 
pared to  unite  with  the  Deity.  It  affirms  that  the 
god  Fo  came  upon  earth  to  expiate  the  sins  of  men, 
and  to  secure  for  them  a  happy  life  to  come.  It  teaches 
to  pray  to  the  god  Fo,  and  to  provide  for  his  wor- 


HISTCSY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  261 

ship  in  sustaining  priests  .and  temples,  that  through 
them  and  by  repentance  sins  may  be  forgiven.  There 
are  five  commandments  to  be  kept :  Thou  shalt  not 
kill ;  Thou  shalt  not  steal ;  Thou  shalt  not  lie ;  Thou 
shalt  not  commit  impurity  ;  and  thou  shalt  not  drink 
wine.  The  punishment  for  breaking  these  command- 
ments is  transmigration  of  'the  soul  into  the  bodies  of 
rats,  dogs,  horses,  serpents,  etc.  In  consequence  of  this 
doctrine  multitudes  of  idols,  in  the  forms  of  birds, 
beasts  and  reptiles  are  worshipped  as  possibly  the  form 
which  Fo  may  have  taken  in  the  course  of  his  trans- 
migration. 

The  resemblance  of  the  worship  of  the  Hindoo 
Budha  and  the  Chinese  Fo,  is  *very  striking,  showing 
that  they  are  one  and  the  same  system.  Budha  was 
the  son  of  May-a  and  one  of  his  names  is  Amita.  Fo, 
of  China  was  the  son  of  Moya  and  his  name  is  Om-e-to. 
The  Meushin  or  guardian  of  the  door  in  China  is  the 
same  as  G-anesa  in  India — in  both  countries  his  image 
is  painted  on  almost  every  house.  Many  other  points 
of  similarity  might  be  cited. 

Mohamedism  also  prevails  among  the  Chinese  to 
some  extent.  It  is  somewhat  modified  by  the  various 
superstitions  of  the  other  creeds,  but  is  essentially  the 
same  as  among  the  Arabs,  by  whom  it  was  introduced 
when  trading  with  the  people.  A  large  commerce  was 
at  one  time  carried  on  between  the  Chinese  and  the 
people  -of  the  "West. 

The  great  overshadowing  system  of  worship — it  can 
hardly  be  called  a  religion — which  pervades  every 
grade  of  society  in  the  Empire  is  that  of  Confucius,  a 
philosopher  who  flourished  about  550  years  before 
Christ.  The  maxims  laid  down  by  this  sage  are  still 
venerated  by  the  Emperor  on  the  throne  and  the 
lowest  menial  in  the  land.  His  was  a  .system  of 
morals.  He  taught  that  it  was  a  duty  to  live  among 
men  to  endeavor  to  improve  them — also,  to  reverence 
and  pay  homage  to  our  ancestors,  who  were  permitted 


262  HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

to  revisit  their  ancient  homes,  and  had  the  power  oi 
conferring  benefits  upon  their  relatives — hence  the 
worship  of  ancestors  is  inculcated  as  an  indispensable 
duty — and  the  sacred  rites  performed  in  memory  of 
the  departed  are  the  most  conspicuous  ceremonies  of 
all  classes.  The  natural  result  of  the  belief  of  visiting 
spirits  is  the  introduction  of  the  worship  of  genii  or 
good  and  bad  spirits.  Confucius  himself  has  sacrifices 
and  sacred  rites  performed  in  honor  of  his  memory — 
but  while  receiving  all  the  honors  of  a  god,  is  not 
called  Diety. 

Besides  the  strictly  religious  ceremonies  performed 
by  the  various  sects,  there  are  feasts  celebrated  with 
more  or  less  zeal  at  various  seasons  of  the  year.  These 
festivals  are  of  a  semi-religious  character  and  among 
the  common  people  are  held  as  sacred  duties. 

The  first  festival  in  the  year  is  that  of  the  shutting 
up  of  seals,  which  occurs  about  New  Year's  day.  Every 
Court  in  the  Empire  at  this  time  locks  up  its  seals, 
and  every  one  makes  merry,  taking  greater  liberty 
than  usual  in  the  general  joy.  The  mathematical 
court  determines  with  great  nicety  every  thing  per- 
taining the  seals,  both  in  regard  to  the  locking  up  and 
opening,  so  that  the  ceremony  takes  place  on  the  same 
day  throughout  the  empire.  The  household  gods  of 
the  Chinese  are  during  this  festival  brought  out  and 
placed  in  the  most  conspicuous  position  possible  over 
the  door.  This  bringing  out  of  the  idols  is  common 
at  every  festival,  but  is  not  so  generally  observed  upon 
other  occasions. 

The  next  in  order  is  the  Feast  of  Lanterns,  which 
takes  place  on  the  fifteenth  of  the  first  month.  The 
origin  of  this  solemn  festival  is  not  certain.  One 
account  is  that  a  certain  Mandarin  whose  daughter  was 
drowned,  went  with  all  the  people,  carrying  lanterns 
to  find  the  body  of  the  unfortunate  damsel,  but  sought 
in  vain,  and  consoled  himself  by  going  through  the 
same  ceremony  year  after  year  until  the  feast  was 


HISTORY  OF   ALL  RELIGIONS. 

established.  Another  story  ascribes  the  origin  to  an 
extravagant  project  of  an  emperor  who  shut  himself 
up  in  his  magnificent  palace  with  his  concubines.  He 
illuminated  the  halls  with  gorgeous  lanterns  shutting 
out  all  other  light,  that  he  might  have  for  his  canopy 
a  sky  which  would  be  always  calm  and  serene,  and 
thus  shut  out  from  his  memory  the  revolutions  and 
strifes  of  the  world.  This  singular  conduct  and 
neglect  of  duties  aroused  the  wrath  of  his  subjects, 
who  demolished  the  palace,  and,  as  a  warning  to 
future  emperors  and  to  transmit  the  remembrance  of 
all  such  shameful  conduct  to  posterity,  hung  lanterns 
over  the  city,  thus  establishing  the  feast. 

On  this  festival  every  one  hangs  out  some  kind  of  a 
lantern.  The  wealthy  vie  with  each  other  in  the 
magnificence  and  size  of  their  offerings.  Some  of 
these  lanterns  are  twenty  or  thirty  feet  in  diameter,  in 
which  entertainments  are  given.  The  appearance  of  a 
Chinese  city  during  the  continuance  of  this  festival  is 
grotesque  and  beautiful  beyond  description. 

The  Festival  of  Agriculture,  instituted  by  an  empe- 
ror about  one  hundred  and  eighty  years  before  Christ, 
to  encourage  the  pursuit  of  agriculture,  is  another 
feast  of  great  solemnity.  The  Magistrates  of  the 
country  take  leading  parts  in  the  ceremonies.  The 
streets  are  decorated  with  arches  and  the  houses  are 
hung  with  tapestry.  One  feature  of  the  celebration 
is  a  huge  image  of  a  cow  made  of  clay  and  carried 
by  forty  men.  Sitting  on  this  is  a  beautiful  boy  who 
represents  the  genius  of  industry.  "When  the  proces- 
sion reaches  the  emperor's  palace,  the  garlands  and 
flowers  and  the  other  trappings  are  taken  off  the  image, 
which  is  then  opened,  disclosing  several  small  cows 
composed  of  clay.  These  are  distributed  by  the  Em- 
peror to  his  ministers,  to  remind  them  of  their  duties 
in  the  care  of  husbandry.  The  people  are  exhorted 
never  to  let  a  piece  of  ground  lie  fallow,  to  avoid  idle- 
ness, and  are  taught  to  practice  industry  by  the  ex- 


264  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

ample  of  the  emperor  himself  performing  some  ap- 
propriate manual  labor. 

Thus,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  existing  worship  in 
China  is  a  confused  mixture  of  superstitions  of  which 
individuals  receive  and  observe  what  they  please — • 
while  the  government  upholds  by  its  patronage  nearly 
every  form  of  idolatry  that  can  be  imagined.  The 
vast  number  of  people  embracing  these  superstitions, 
within  the  limits  of  the  Chinese  Empire  alone,  can  not 
be  far  from  450,000,000,  figures  far  beyond  our  con- 
ception. Are  not  these  multitudes  worth  a  thousand 
times  the  efforts  which  have  been  put  forth  to  deliver 
them  from  darkness?  The  missionary  enterprises 
which  have  been  organized  during  the  Century  have 
made  but  little  impression  on  the  tone  of  public  opin- 
ion or  morals  of  the  people,  but  a  sure  foot-hold  has 
been  obtained,  and  the  regeneration  of  these  millions 
will  surely  come,  for  the  Lord  hath  said  it. 

JAPANESE. 

v, ... 

The  Japanese  are  divided  into  two  religious  sects, 
those  of  Sinto  and  Budsdo.  The  former  is  the  most 
ancient.  The  followers  acknowledge  a  Supreme  Being 
who  inhabits  highest  heaven,  but  who  is  too  great  to 
require  any  worship.  They  admit  a  multitude  of 
lesser  divinities  who  govern  earth,  air,  water,  and 
have  dominion  over  the  human  race.  They  believe 
that  the  good  go  to  a  region  just  under  heaven,  while 
the  wicked  are  doomed  to  wander  to  and  fro  about  the 
universe.  Their  places  of  worship  contain  no  visible 
idols  although  sometimes  a  small  idol  of  some  infe- 
rior divinity  to  whom  the  temple  is  dedicated,  is  kept 
in  a  small  box.  A  large  mirror  is  frequently  placed 
in  the  centre  of  the  temple  that  the  worshippers  may 
be  reminded,  that  as  they  can  see  their  blemishes  in 
the  mirror,  so  can  the  gods  perceive  their  most  hidden 
thoughts.  The  devotees  bow  before  these  reflectors, 
proffer  their  prayers,  present  their  offerings  and  pro- 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  2G5 

ceed  to  their  amusements.  The  Mikado  belongs  to 
this  sect  and  worships  at  the  temple  at  least  once  an- 
nually. 

Budsdo's  doctrine  is,  like  the  Buddhism  of  India, 
greatly  mixed  with  still  more  absurd  superstitions. 
This  sect  believes  that  animals  and  men  are  equally 
immortal.  That  the  wicked  are  punished  by  passing 
after  death  into  the  bodies  of  beasts  and  reptiles. 
Every  trade  has  its  tutelar  divinity,  represented  by 
idols,  which  are  characterized  by  their  uncouth  and 
ugly  forms.  As  many  as  three  thousand  of  these  un- 
gainly monsters  have  been  counted  in  one  temple. 
Both  sects  have  monks  and  nuns  or  priests  who  have 
their  peculiar  duties  to  perform.  Part  of  them  are 
fortune-tellers  and  quack  doctors,  and  others  are  beg- 
gars who  bind  themselves  to  live  upon  roots  and 
traverse  woods  and  mountain. 

MILLENABIANS. 

A  NAME  given  to  those  who  believe  that  the  saints  will 
reign  on  earth  with  Jesus  Christ  a  thousand  years. 

The  Millenarians  hold,  that  after  the  coming  of  Anti- 
christ, and  the  destruction  of  all  nations  which  shall  fol- 
low, there  shall  be  a  first  resurrection  of  the  just  alone. 
That  all  who  shall  be  found  upon  earth,  both  good  and 
bad,  shall  continue  alive ;  the  good  to  obey  the  just,  who 
are  risen  as  their  princes ;  the  bad  to  be  conquered  by  the 
just,  and  to  be  subject  to  them.  That  Jesus  Christ  will  then 
descend  from  heaven  in  his  glory.  That  the  city  of  Jeru- 
salem will  be  rebuilt,  enlarged,  embellished,  and  its  gates 
stand  open  night  and  day.  They  applied  to  this  new  Je- 
rusalem, what  is  said  in  the  Apoc.  chap,  xxi.,  and  to  the 
temple,  all  that  is  written  in  Ezek.  xxxvi.  Here  they 
pretended  Jesus  Christ  will  fix  the  seat  of  his  empire,  and 
reign  a  thousand  years,  with  the  saints,  patriarchs,  and 
prophets,  who  will  enjoy  perfect  and  uninterrupted  feli- 
city. 


266  HISTORY  OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

The  ancient  Millenarians  were  divided  in  opinion :  some 
pretended,  that  the  saints  should  pass  their  time  in  corpo- 
real delights ;  others  that  they  should  only  exercise  them- 
selves in  spiritual  pleasures. 

The  opinions  of  some  celebrated  modern  authors,  con 
cerning  the  Millennium,  are  as  follow : 

Dr.  Thomas  Burnet  and  Mr.  Whiston  concur  in  assert- 
ing, that  the  earth  will  not  be  entirely  consumed :  but  tha) 
the  matter  of  which  it  consists,  will  be  fixed,  purified,  and 
refined ;  which  the  action  of  fire  upon  it  will  naturally 
effect.  They  suppose,  that  from  these  materials  thus  re- 
fined, as  from  a  second  chaos,  there  will,  by  the  will  of 
God,  arise  a  new  creation ;  and  that  the  face  of  the  earth, 
and  likewise  the  atmosphere,  will  then  be  so  restored,  as 
to  resemble  what  it  originally  was  in  the  paradisaical 
state ;  and  consequently,  to  render  it  a  more  delightful 
abode  for  human  creatures  than  it  is  at  present.  They 
urge  for  this  purpose  the  following  texts :  2  Pet.  iii.  13. 
"  Nevertheless  we,  according  to  his  promise,  look  for  new 
heavens  and  a  new  earth,  wherein  dwelleth  righteousness." 
See  also  Matt.  xiii.  29,  30.  Luke  xvii.  29,  30.  Acts 
iii.  21. 

They  both  suppose,  that  the  earth,  thus  beautified  and 
improved,  shall  be  inhabited  by  those  who  shall  inherit 
the  first  resurrection,  and  shall  here  enjoy  a  very  consid- 
erable degree  of  happiness ;  though  not  equal  to  that, 
which  is  to  succeed  the  general  judgment ;  which  judgment 
shall,  according  to  them,  open,  when  the  thousand  years 
are  expired,  mentioned  in  Rev.  xx.  4. 

Though  Mr.  Fleming  does  not  entirely  agree  with  the 
above  mentioned  scheme,  he  interprets  Rev.  xx.  6,  as  re- 
ferring to  a  proper  resurrection ;  of  which  he  supposes 
that  the  event,  which  is  recorded  in  Matt,  xxvii.  32,  was 
a  pledge.  He  conjectures,  that  the  most  celebrated  saints, 
of  the  Old  Testament  times,  then  arose,  and  ascended  with 
Christ  to  heaven.  Agreeable  to  this  he  apprehends,  that 
the  saints,  who  are  to  be  subjects  of  the  first  resurrection, 
will  appear  to  some  of  the  inhabitants  of  this  earth,  which 


HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  267 

may  be  the  means  of  reviving  religion  among  them.  Yet 
they  will  not  have  their  abode  here.  But  during  the  thou- 
sand years,  in  which  the  kingdom  of  Christ  will  have  the 
highest  triumph  on  earth,  they  shall  be  rejoicing  with  him 
in  heaven,  in  a  state  of  happiness  far  superior  to  that 
which  they  enjoyed  in  a  separate  state ;  yet  not  equal  to 
that  which  is  to  be  expected  after  the  general  judgment. 
To  this  peculiar  privilege  of  the  martyrs,  and  some  other 
eminent  saints,  he  supposed  St.  Paul  to  have  referred. 
Phil.  iii.  9,  11. 

This  author  argues,  that  as  there  has  been  already  a 
special  resurrection  of  the  more  eminent  saints  of  the  Old 
Testament ;  it  is  rational  to  conclude,  from  the  ideas  we 
form  of  Christ,  as  a  just  and  impartial  judge,  that  the  emi- 
nent saints  of  the  New  Testament,  who  lived  and  died 
under  sufferings,  shall  be  rewarded  by  a  special  resurrec- 
tion to  glory,  when  Christ  shall  give  universal  peace  and 
prosperity  to  the  Church. 

Mr.  Ray  agrees  that  there  will  be  a  renovation  of  the 
earth ;  and  though  he  does  not  grant,  as  some  have  sup- 
posed, the  same  animals  which  once  lived,  shall  be  raised 
again,  yet  he  supposes  that  other  like  animals  will  be 
created  anew,  as  well  as  similar  vegetables,  to  adorn  the 
earth,  and  to  support  the  animals,  only  in  higher  degrees 
of  beauty  and  perfection  than  they  ever  before  possessed. 

But  he  pretends  not  to  determine,  whether  this  new 
earth,  thus  beautified  and  adorned,  after  the  general  resur- 
rection, shall  be  the  seat  of  a  new  race  of  men,  or  only 
remain  as  the  object  of  contemplation  to  some  happy  spir- 
its who  may  behold  it,  though  without  any  rational  ani- 
mals to  inhabit  it,  as  a  curious  plan  of  the  most  exquisite 
mechanism. 

He  argues,  that  the  apostle,  speaking  of  the  heavens 
and  earth  says,  "  As  a  vesture  thou  shalt  fold  them  up, 
and  they  shall  be  changed."  Heb.  i.  12.  To  be  changed, 
is  different  from  being  annihilated  and  destroyed.  The 
earth  shall  be  transfigured,  or  its  outward  form  changed, 
not  its  matter  or  substance  destroyed. 


268  HISTORY   OF   ALL  RELIGIONS. 

Dr.  Whitby  supposes  the  Millennium  to  refer  entirely 
to  the  prosperous  state  of  the  Christian  Church,  after  the 
conversion  of  the  Jews.  That  then  shall  begin  a  glorious 
and  undisturbed  reign  of  Christ  over  both  Jew  and  Gen- 
tile, to  continue  a  thousand  years.  And  as  John  the  Bap- 
tist was  Elias,  because  he  came  in  the  spirit  and  power 
of  Elias ;  so  shall  this  be  the  Church  of  martyrs,  and  of 
those  who  have  not  received  the  mark  of  the  beast,  because 
the  spirit  and  purity  of  the  times  of  the  primitive  martyrs 
shall  return. 

He  argues,  that  it  would  be  a  great  detriment  to  the 
glorified  saints,  to  be  brought  down  to  dwell  upon  earth,  in 
the  most  pleasing  form  which  it  can  be  supposed  to  put  on. 

That  it  is  contrary  to  the  genius  of  the  Christian  reli- 
gion, to  suppose  it  built  on  temporal  promises.  For  the 
Christian  is  represented  as  one,  who  is  entirely  dead  to 
the  world,  and  whose  conversation  is  in  heaven.  Phil, 
iii.  19. 

Mr.  Worthington's  scheme  is,  that  the  gospel,  being  in- 
tended to  restore  the  ruins  of  the  fall,  will  gradually 
meliorate  the  world,  till  by  a  train  of  natural  consequences, 
under  the  influence  of  divine  providence  and  grace,  it  is 
restored  to  a  paradisaical  state.  He  supposes  this  plan  is 
already  advanced  through  some  important  stages,  of  which 
he  thinks  the  amendment  of  the  earth's  natural  state  at 
the  deluge,  which,  with  Dr.  Sherlock,  he  maintains  to 
have  been  a  very  considerable  one.  He  considers  all  im- 
provements in  learning  and  arts,  as  well  as  the  propaga- 
tion of  the  gospel  among  the  heathen  nations,  as  the  pro- 
cess of  this  scheme.  But  he  apprehends  much  greater 
advances  are  to  be  made,  about  the  year  of  Christ,  2000, 
when  the  Millennium  will  commence ;  which  shall  be,  ac- 
cording to  him,  such  a  glorious  state  as  Dr.  Whitby  sup- 
poses ;  but  with  this  additional  circumstance,  that  after 
some  interruption  from  the  last  effects  of  wickedness  by 
Gog  and  M'igog,  this  shall  terminate  in  the  yet  nobler 
state  of  the  new  heaven  and  the  new  earth,  spoken  of  in 
Rev.  xxi.  xxii.,  which  he  supposes,  will  be  absolutely  para- 


HISTORY  OP  ALL   RELIGIONS.  269 

dise  restored.  And  that  all  natural  and  moral  evil  shall 
be  banished  from  the  earth,  and  death  itself  shall  have  no 
further  place.  But  good  men  shall  continue  in  the  high- 
est rectitude  of  state,  and  in  the  greatest  imaginable  de- 
gree of  terrestrial  felicity,  till  the  coming  of  Christ,  and 
universal  judgment,  close  this  beautiful  and  delightful 
scene,  perhaps  several  thousand  years  hence.  Indeed  he 
seems  to  intimate  some  apprehension,  that  the  consummation 
of  all  things  will  happen  about  the  year  of  the  world 
25,920  ;  the  end  of  the  great  year,  as  the  Platonics  called 
it,  when  the  equinoxes  shall  have  revolved.  The  reason- 
ing by  which  those  conjectures  are  supported  is  too 
diffuse  to  be  represented. 

Mr.  Lowman  agrees  with  Dr.  Whitby,  in  supposing  the 
Scripture  description  of  the  Millennium  to  be  figurative  ; 
representing  the  happy  state  of  the  church  upon  its  deliv- 
erance from  the  persecution,  and  corruption  of  the  third 
period. 

He  regarded  the  book  of  Revelation,  after  the  fifth 
chapter,  as  a  prophetic  representation  of  the  most  re- 
markable events,  which  were  to  befal  the  Christian  church, 
from  that  time  to  the  consummation  of  all  things. 

He  divides  the  remainder  into  seven  periods.  The  first 
of  which  represented  by  seals,  shews  according  to  him,  the 
state  of  the  church  under  the  heathen  Roman  emperors, 
from  the  year  95  to  323. 

The  second  period,  which  is  that  of  the  trumpets,  ac- 
cording to  him,  relates  to  what  was  to  happen  in  the 
Christian  church,  A.  D.  337  to  750,  when  the  Mahometan 
conquests  ceased  in  the  west. 

The  third  period,  according  to  him,  represents  the  state 
of  the  church  and  world,  in  the  time  of  the  last  head  of 
the  Roman  government,  i.  e.  under  the  popes,  for  1260 
years,  viz.  from  A.  D.  756  to  2016.  Each  of  the  vials, 
which  are  poured  out,  he  supposes  to  denote  some  great 
judgment  upon  the  Papal  kingdom. 

The  sixth  and  seventh  vials  he  supposes  are  yet  to 


270          HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

come ;  and  that  the  seventh  will  complete  the  final  destruc- 
tion of  Rome. 

The  fourth  period  is  that  of  a  thousand  years,  or  the 
Millennium,  in  which  the  church  will  be  in  a  most  pros- 
perous state,  A.  D.  2000  to  3000.  So  that  the  seventh 
chiliad  is  to  be  a  kind  of  sabbath. 

The  fifth  period  is  the  renewed  invasion  of  the  enemies 
of  the  church,  for  a  short  time,  not  defined,  but  which  is 
to  end  in  their  final  extirpation  and  ruin.  Chap.  xx.  7, 10. 

The  sixth  period  is  the  general  resurrection,  and  final 
judgment,  Chap.  xx.  11,  15,  which  terminate, 

In  the  seventh  grand  period,  in  which  the  saints  are 
represented  as  fixed  in  a  state  of  everlasting  triumph  and 
happiness  in  the  heavenly  world.  Chap.  xxi.  1,  5. 

Dr.  Cotton  Mather  supposed  that  the  conflagration 
would  take  place  at  Christ's  second  personal  coming. 
That  after  this  great  event,  God  will  create  new  heavens, 
and  a  new  earth.  The  raised  saints  will  inhabit  the  new 
heaven,  attending  on  our  Saviour  there,  and  receiving  in- 
conceivable rewards  for  their  services  and  sufferings  for 
his  sake.  The  new  earth  will  be  a  paradise,  and  inhabited 
by  those,  who  shall  be  caught  up  to  meet  the  Lord,  and 
be  with  him  in  safety,  while  they  see  the  earth  flaming 
under  them.  They  shall  return  to  the  new  earth,  possess 
it,  and  people  it  with  an  offspring,  who  shall  be  sinless 
and  deathless.  The  raised  saints  in  the  new  heavens, 
who  will  neither  marry,  nor  be  given  in  marriage,  but  be 
equal  to  the  angels,  will  be  sent  down  from  time  to  time, 
to  the  new  earth,  to  be  teachers  and  rulers,  and  have 
power  over  nations.  And  the  will  of  God  will  be  done  on 
earth  as  it  is  in  heaven.  This  dispensation  will  continue 
at  least  for  a  thousand  years.  There  will  be  a  translation 
from  the  new  earth  to  the  new  heavens,  either  successively 
during- the  thousand  years,  or  all  at  once,  after  the  termi- 
nation of  that  period. 

Dr.  Bellamy  supposed  that  the  Millennium  will  be  a 
glorious  scene  of  Christ's  spiritual  reign  on  earth,  when 
universal  peace  shall  prevail ;  wars,  famines,  and  all  deso- 


HISTORY    OP  ALL  RELIGIONS.  271 

latiiig  judgments  be  at  an  end  ;  industry  shall  flourish, 
and  all  luxury,  intemperance,  and  extravagance  be  ban- 
ished. Then  this  globe  will  be  able  to  sustain  with  food 
and  raiment,  a  number  of  inhabitants  immensely  greater 
than  erer  dwelt  upon  it  at  a  time.  And  if  all  those  shall, 
as  the  Scripture  asserts,  "  know  the  Lord  from  the  least 
to  the  greatest,  and  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  fill  the 
earth  as  the  waters  do  the  sea,"  for  a  thousand  years  to 
gether,  it  will  naturally  come  to  pass,  that  there  will  be 
more  saved  in  those  thousand  years,  than  ever  before 
dwelt  upon  the  face  of  the  earth  from  the  foundation  of 
the  world. 

Some  understand  the  thousand  years  in  the  .Revelation, 
agreeable  to  other  prophetical  numbers  in  that  book,  a  day 
for  a  year.  By  that  rule,  as  the  Scripture  year  contains 
360  days,  the  thousand  years  will  amount  to  360,000 
years ;  in  which  there  might  be  millions  saved,  to  one 
which  has  been  lost.  But  if  this  glorious  period  is  to  last 
only  a  thousand  years  literally,  there  may  be  many  more 
«aved  than  lost. 


PRE-EXISTENTS. 

A  TERM  which  may  not  improperly  be  applied  to  those 
who  hold  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  pre-existence.  This 
name  comprehends  two  classes ;  the  Arians,  who  defend 
Christ's  pre-existence,  but  deny  that  he  is  a  divine  person; 
and  others  on  the  Calvinist  system,  who  assert  both  his 
divinity,  and  that  his  intelligent  created  soul  was  produced 
into  being,  and  united,  by  an  ineffable  union,  to  the  second 
person  of  the  Trinity,  before  the  heavens  and  the  earth 
were  created.* 

Under  the  article  Arians,  the  reader  has  been  presented 
with  the  view  of  the  system  of  Arius  and  his  immediate 
followers. 


*  This  class  of  Pre-existents  are  not  entirely  agreed  in  tbeir  sei?U- 
beats. 


272  HISTORY  or  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

The  sentiments  of  the  celebrated  Dr.  Richard  Price,  are 
brought  to  view  under  the  article  Unitarians.  And,  per- 
haps, some  may  be  gratified  with  a  short  sketch  of  the 
plan,  which  was  maintained  by  Dr.  Samuel  Clarke. 

This  learned  man  held  that  there  is  one  supreme  cause 
and  original  of  all  things ;  one  simple,  uncompounded,  un- 
divided, intelligent  agent,  or  person.*  And  that  from  the 
beginning,  there  existed  with  the  first  and  supreme  cause, 
or  Father,  a  second  person,  called  the  Word;  or  Son. 
This  Son,  is  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  He  derived  his  being, 
his  attributes,  and  his  powers  from  the  Father ;  he  is  there- 
fore called  the  Son  of  God,  and  the  only  begotten. f  For 
generation,  when  applied  to  God,  is  only  a  figurative  word, 
signifying  immediate  derivation  of  being  and  life  from  him. 
This  production  or  derivation  of  the  Son  is  incomprehen- 
sible, and  took  place  before  the  world  began.  To  prove, 
that  Jesus  Christ  was  generated,  or  produced  into  being 
before  the  world  was  created,  the  Dr.  adduces  the  follow- 
ing considerations. 

The  Father  made  the  world  by  the  operation  of  the 
Son.  John  i.  3, 10.  1  Cor.  viii.  6.  Eph.  iii.  9,  &c.  The 
action  of  the  Son,  both  in  making  the  world,  and  in  all 
his  other  operations,  is  only  the  exercise  of  the  Father's 
power  communicated  to  him,  after  a  manner  to  us  un- 
known. 

That  all  Christ's  authority,  power,  knowledge,  and  glory, 
are  the  Father's  communicated  to  him,  Dr.  Clarke  endeav- 
ors to  prove  by  a  variety  of  passages  of  scripture. 

The  Son  before  his  incarnation  with  God,  was  in  the 

*  This  learned  divine  considers  this  doctrine  as  the  foundation  of 
piety,  and  the  first  principle  of  natural  religion.  He  supposes,  that  all 
the  texts,  which  speak  of  the  one  God.  the  only  God,  the  Father,  the 
most  High,  are  to  be  considered  as  establishing  the  personal  unity  of  one 
only  Supreme  Being. 

f  Dr.  Clarke  avoids  calling  Christ  a  creature,  as  the  ancient  Ariana 
did,  and  principally  on  that  foundation  disclaims  the  charge  of  Arian- 
isna. 


HISTORY   OF  Ai;   RELIGIONS.  273 

Form  of  God,  and  had  glory  with  the  Father.  John  i.  4 ; 
xvii.  5.  Phil.  ii.  5. 

The  Son,  before  his  incarnation,  made  visible  appear- 
ances, and  spake,  and  acted  in  the  name  and  authority  of 
the  invisible  Father. 

Dr.  Clarke  calls  Christ  a  divine  person,  solely  on  ac- 
acount  of  the  power  and  knowledge,  which  were  communi- 
cated to  him  by  the  Father.  He  indeed  owns,  that  Christ 
is  an  object  of  religious  worship  ;  but  then  he  confines  it  to 
a  limited  sense.  The  worship  paid  to  Christ  terminates 
not  in  him,  but  in  the  supreme  God  and  Lord  of  all.  The 
doctrine  of  the  pre-existence  of  Christ's  human  soul  has 
been  held  by  several  divines,  as  Mr.  Fleming  and  Dr. 
Goodwin.  These  gentlemen  all  profess  to  maintain  the 
divinity  of  Christ.  The  following  sketch  of  the  plan  of 
Dr.  Watts,  is  selected  from  the  rest.  He  maintained  one 
supreme  God,  dwelling  in  the  human  nature  of  Christ, 
which  he  supposed  to  have  existed  the  first  of  all  creatures ; 
and  speaks  of  the  divine  Logos,  as  the  wisdom  of  God, 
and  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  divine  power,  or  the  influence 
and  effect  of  it ;  which  he  says,  is  a  scriptural  person,  i.  e. 
spoken  of  figuratively  in  scripture,  under  personal  char- 
acters.* 

In  order  to  prove,  that  Christ's  human  soul  existed 
previous  to  his  incarnation,  the  following  arguments  are 
adduced : 

I.  Christ  is  represented  as  his  Father's  messenger,  or 
angel,  being  distinct  from  his  Father,  sent  by  his  Father 
long  before  his  incarnation,  to  perform  actions,  which  seem 
to  be  too  low  for  the  dignity  of  pure  Godhead.  The  ap- 
pearances of  Christ  to  the  patriarchs  are  described  like  the 
appearances  of  an  angel,  or  man,  really  distinct  from  God, 
yet  such  an  one  in  whom  God  or  Jehovah  had  a  peculiar 

*  Dr.  Watts  says,  in  his  preface  to  the  Glory  of  Christ,  that  true 
*nd  proper  Deity  is  ascribed  to  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  bpirit. 

The  expression,  Son  of  God,  he  supposes  is  a  title  appropriated  ex- 
clusively to  the  humanity  of  Christ. 
18 


274  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

in-dwelling,  or  with  whom  the  divine  nature  had  a  per- 
sonal union. 

II.  Christ,  when  he  came  into  the  world,  is  said,  in  seve- 
ral passages  of  scripture,  to  have  divested  himself  of  some 
glory,  which  he  had  before  his  incarnation.  Now,  if  there 
had  existed  before  this  time  nothing  but  his  divine  nature, 
this  divine  nature  could  not  properly  divest  itself  of  any 
glory.  "  I  have  glorified  thee  on  earth,  I  have  finished 
the  work  which  thou  gavest  me  to  do.  And  now,  0  Fa- 
ther, glorify  thou  me  with  thine  own  self,  with  the  glory 
which  I  had  with  thee  before  the  world  was."  See  John 
xvii.  4,  5.  "  Ye  know  the  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
that  though  he  was  rich,  yet  for  our  sakes  he  became  poor, 
that  we,  through  his  poverty,  might  be  made  rich."  2  Cor. 
viii.  9.  It  cannot  be  said  of  God,  that  he  became  poor. 
He  is  infinitely  self-sufficient,  He  is  necessarily  and  eter- 
nally rich  in  perfections  and  glories.  Nor  can  it  be  said 
of  Christ,  as  man,  that  he  was  rich,  if  he  was  never  in  a 
richer  state  before,  than  while  he  was  on  earth. 

It  seems  needful  that  the  soul  of  Christ  should  pre-exist, 
that  it  might  have  opportunity  to  give  its  previous  actual 
consent  to  the  great  and  painful  undertaking  of  atonement 
for  our  sins.  It  was  the  human  soul  of  Christ,  that  endured 
the  weakness  and  pain  of  his  infant  state,  all  the  labors 
and  fatigues  of  life,  the  reproaches  of  men,  and  the  suffer- 
ings of  death.  The  divine  nature  is  incapable  of  suffering. 
The  covenant  of  redemption  between  the  Father  and  Son 
is,  therefore,  represented  in  scripture  as  being  made  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world.  To  suppose,  that  simple 
Deity,  or  the  divine  essence,  which  is  the  same  in  all  the 
three  personalities,  should  make  a  covenant  with  itself,  is 
inconsistent. 

Christ  is  the  angel  to  whom  God  was  in  a  peculiar  man- 
ner united,  and  who,  in  this  union,  made  all  the  divine 
appearances  related  in  the  Old  Testament. 

God  is  often  represented  in  scripture  as  appearing  in  a 
visible  manner  and  assuming  a  human  form.  See  Gen.  iii. 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  275 

8 ;  xvii.  1 ;  xxviii.  12  ;  xxxii.  24.  Exod.  ii.  2,  3,  and  a 
variety  of  other  passages. 

The  Lord  Jehovah,  when  he  came  down  to  visit  men, 
carried  some  ensign  of  divine  majesty ;  he  was  surrounded 
with  some  splendid  appearance.  It  was  such  a  light  ap- 
peared often  at  the  door  of  the  tabernacle,  and  fixed  its 
abode  on  the  ark  between  the  cherubims.  It  was  by  the 
Jews,  called  the  Shekinah,  i.  e.  the  habitation  of  God. 
Hence  he  is  described  as  dwelling  in  light,  and  clothed 
with  light  as  with  a  garment.  In  the  midst  of  this  bright- 
ness, there  seems  to  have  been  sometimes  a  human  shape 
and  figure.  It  was  probably  of  this  heavenly  light,  that 
Christ  divested  himself,  when  he  was  made  flesh.  With 
this  he  was  covered  at  his  transfiguration  in  the  mount, 
when  his  garments  were  white  as  the  light.  And  at  his 
ascension  into  heaven,  when  a  bright  cloud  received  or  in- 
vested him,  and  when  he  appeared  to  John.  Rev.  i.  13. 
And  it  was  with  this,  he  prayed  his  Father  would  glo- 
rify him. 

Sometimes  the  great  and  blessed  God  appeared  in  the 
form  of  a  man  or  angel.  It  is  evident,  that  the  true  God 
resided  in  this  man  or  angel  ;*  because,  on  account  of  this 
union  to  proper  Deity,  the  angel  calls  himself  God,  the 
Lord  God.  He  assumes  the  most  exalted  names  and 
characters  of  Godhead.  And  the  spectators,  and  the  sa- 
cred historians,  it  is  evident,  considered  him  as  true  and 
proper  God.  They  payed  him  the  highest  worship  and 
obedience.  He  is  properly  styled  the  angel  of  God's 
presence.  Isa.  Ixiii.  The  messenger  or  angel  of  the 
covenant.  Mai.  iii.  1. 

This  same  angel  of  the  Lord  was  the  particular  God 
and  king  of  the  Israelites.  It  was  he  who  made  a  covenant 

*  God  considered  in  the  person  of  the  Father,  is  always  represented 
as  invisible,  whom  no  man  hath  seen,  nor  can  see.  But  Jesus  Christ 
is  described,  as  the  image  of  the  invisible  God,  the  brightness  of  the 
Father's  glory,  and  he  in  whom  the  Father  dwells.  Christ  was  there- 
fore the  person  by  whom  God  appeared  to  man  under  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, by  the  name  Jehovah. 


276  HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

with  the  patriarchs — who  appeared  to  Moses  in  the  burn* 
ing  bush — who  redeemed  the  Israelites  from  Egypt — who 
conducted  them  through  the  wilderness — who  gave  the 
law  at  Sinai — and  transacted  the  affairs  of  the  ancient 
church. 

The  angels,  who  have  appeared  since  our  blessed  Saviour 
became  incarnate,  have  never  assumed  the  names,  titles, 
characters,  or  worship  belonging  to  God.  Hence  we  may 
infer,  that  the  angel,  who  under  the  Old  Testament,  as- 
sumed divine  titles,  and  accepted  religious  worship,  was 
that  peculiar  angel  of  God's  presence  in  whom  God  resi- 
ded, or  who  was  united  to  the  Godhead  in  a  peculiar  man- 
ner, even  the  pre-existent  soul  of  Christ,  who  afterwards 
took  flesh  and  blood  upon  him,  and  was  called  Jesus 
Christ  on  earth. 

Christ  represents  himself  as  one  with  the  Father.  I  and 
the  Father  are  one.  John  x.  30.  See  also  John  xiv.  10, 
11.  There  is,  we  may  hence  infer,  such  a  peculiar  union 
between  God  and  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  both  in  his  pre- 
existent  and  incarnate  state,  that  he  may  properly  be 
called  God-man  in  one  complex  person. 

Among  those  expressions  of  scripture,  which  discover 
the  pre-existence  of  Christ,  there  are  several  from  which 
we  may  derive  a  certain  proof  of  his  divinity. 

Such  are  those  places  in  the  Old  Testament,  where  the 
angel  who  appeared  to  the  ancients  is  called  God,  the 
almighty  God,  Jehovah,  the  Lord  of  hosts,  I  am  that 
I  am,  &c. 

Dr.  Watts  supposes,  that  the  doctrine  of  the  pre-exis- 
tence of  the  soul  of  Christ,  explains  dark  and  difficult 
scriptures,  and  discovers  many  beauties  and  proprieties  of 
expression  in  the  word  of  God,  which  on  any  other  plan 
lie  unobserved.  For  instance,  in  Col.  i.  15,  &c.  Christ 
is  described  as  the  image  of  the  invisible  God,  the  first-born 
of  every  creature.  His  being  the  image  of  the  invisible 
Sod,  cannot  refer  merely  to  his  divine  nature,  for  that  is 
as  invisible  in  the  Son  as  in  the  Father ;  therefore  it  seems 
to  refer  to  his  pre-existent  soul  in  union  with  the  God- 


HISTORY   OF   ALL  RELIGIONS.  277 

head.  Again,  when  man  is  said  to  be  created  in  the  im- 
age of  God,  Gen.  i.  2,  it  may  refer  to  the  God-man,  to 
Christ  in  his  pre-existent  state.  God  said,  "  Let  us  make 
man  in  our  image,  after  our  likeness."  The  word  is  re- 
doubled, perhaps  to  intimate,  that  Adam  was  made  in  the 
likeness  of  the  human  soul  of  Christ ;  as  well  as  that  he 
bore  something  of  the  image  and  resemblance  of  the  di- 
vine nature. 

From  this  view  of  Dr.  Watts'  plan,  and  what  is  exhibi- 
ted of  the  Arian  scheme,  the  difference  will  be  obvious. 
They  are  thus  distinguished  by  Dr.  Price :  This  system, 
says  he,  speaking  of  Dr.  Watts'  sentiments,  differs  from 
Arianism  in  asserting  the  doctrine  of  Christ's  consisting 
of  two  beings,  one  the  self-existent  Creator,  and  the  other 
a  creature,  made  into  one  person  by  an  ineffable  union  and 
in-dwelling,  which  renders  the  same  attributes  and  honors 
equally  applicable  to  both. 

CUMBERLAND  PRESBYTERIANS. 

THIS  denomination  took  its  origin  from  the  peculiar 
wants  and  circumstances  which  the  Presbyterian  Churches 
experienced  in  the  early  period  of  their  existence  in  Ken- 
tucky and  Tennessee.  About  the  year  1800,  preachers 
and  congregations  were  very  few  in  that  vast  country, 
which  had  then  but  recently  been  reclaimed  from  savage 
wildness  by  the  emigration  of  the  white  adventurer.  In 
the  progress  of  time,  a  few  Presbyterian  clergymen,  who 
gained  a  precarious  livelihood  by  attending  to  the  wants 
of  widely  extended  or  scattered  churches,  formed  them- 
selves into  an  association  which  was  known  as  the  "  Tran- 
sylvania Presbytery."  In  view  of  the  great  religious  des- 
titution which  existed  in  that  part  of  the  country,  they 
felt  justified  in  admitting  to  the  ministry  some  young  men 
who  had  not  received  a  classical  education,  and  whose  at- 
tainments were  in  other  respects  inferior  to  those  which 
are  uniformly  required  of  the  candidates  for  the  clerical 
office  in  the  Presbyterian  Churches. 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

'  his  irregular  conduct  on  the  part  of  the  Presbytery 
was  the  cause  of  the  origin  of  this  new  sect.  In  October, 
1802,  the  Transylvania  Presbytery  was  divided,  by  the 
order  of  the  Synod  of  Kentucky,  into  two  sections  ;  to  one 
portion  of  which  the  name  of  the  Cumberland  Presbytery 
was  given.  Several  years  elapsed  before  the  peculiar 
policy  of  this  Presbytery  in  regard  to  licensing  ministers 
was  made  the  subject  of  dispute  ;  but  in  1804  three  of  its 
preachers  sent  a  remonstrance  to  the  Synod  of  Kentucky, 
complaining  of  the  matter  and  requesting  the  interposition 
of  the  higher  court.  Her  Synod  appointed  commissioners 
to  examine  into  the  subject,  and  they  cited  the  Cumber- 
land Presbytery,  including  all  its  candidates  and  licentiates, 
to  appear  before  them.  This  order  the  Presbytery  re- 
fused to  obey,  and  after  an  ex  parte  hearing  they  were 
called  on  to  submit  the  persons  whom  they  had  licensed 
and  ordained  to  be  reexamined  as  to  their  qualifications 
for  the  ministry. 

This  order,  also,  the  Presbytery  resisted ;  and  the  result 
was  that  eventually  they  were  interdicted  from  continuing 
the  exercise  of  their  clerical  functions.  The  Cumberland 
Presbytery  then  sent  a  petition  to  the  General  Assembly 
of  the  Presbyterian  Church,  requesting  a  redress  of  griev- 
ances ;  and  in  the  meantime  they  resolved  to  lay  aside  the 
name  of  Presbytery  and  assume  that  of  "  Council."  The 
result  of  this  appeal  to  the  General  Assembly  was  that 
that  body  decided  that  they  could  not  act  in  the  matter, 
inasmuch  as  the  appeal  had  not  been  regularly  brought 
before  them  ;  at  the  same  time  the  Synod  of  Kentucky  was 
advised  to  review  its  proceedings.  The  latter  body  accord- 
ingly did  so ;  but  the  result  was,  that  it  became  more  con- 
firmed in  its  conclusion  than  before.  In  1807  it  dissolved 
the  Cumberland  Presbytery  by  a  formal  and  official  reso- 
lution on  the  subject. 

In  1808  the  "  Council"  again  appealed  to  the  General 
Assembly,  and  again  the  answer  given  was,  that  the  latter 
body  could  not  interfere  in  the  matter.  In  1809  the  Sy- 
nod of  Kentucky  sent  a  memorial  to  the  General  Assam- 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  279 

bly,  setting  forth  tlieir  action  in  regard  to  the  Cumberland 
Presbytery ;  and  the  result  was,  that  the  General  Assem- 
bly approved  the  action  of  the  Synod,  and  excluded  the 
Cumberland  Presbytery  from  the  Presbyterian  Church. 

It  now  became  necessary  for  the  association  to  take 
action  in  regard  to  their  future  organization.  Three  or- 
dained preachers,  Revs.  Finis  Ewing,  Samuel  McAdam, 
and  Samuel  King,  were  the  founders  of  the  new  denomi- 
nation. In  February,  1810,  they  organized  themselves, 
assumed  the  title  of  the  Cumberland  Presbytery,  and 
adopted  a  constitution  setting  forth  their  peculiar  views. 
The  chief  feature  of  their  doctrinal  belief  was,  that  they 
denounced  the  dogma  of  fatality,  or  the  rigid  Calvinistic 
theory  of  election  and  reprobation,  as  taught  in  the  Con- 
fession of  Faith  and  Discipline  of  the  Presbyterian  Church. 
They  also  confined  the  examination  of  candidates  for  the 
ministry  to  the  branches  of  English  grammar,  geography, 
astronomy,  natural  and  moral  philosophy,  and  church  his- 
tory. Examinations  in  the  several  departments  of  theo- 
logical science  were  not  required.  The  object  of  the 
Presbytery  was  merely  to  admit  those  to  the  ministry 
whose  practical  abilities  for  preaching  were  of  a  commend- 
able character.  Immediately  after  the  organization  of 
the  Presbytery  a  large  number  of  persons  were  licensed  to 
preach,  and  the  work  of  organizing  and  establishing  con- 
gregations on  those  popular  principles  was  commenced 
with  vigor  and  activity. 

Very  considerable  success  attended  these  labors.  In  a 
new  country,  preachers  of  this  description  are  much  more 
efficient  and  useful  than  in  older  and  more  cultivated  com- 
munities. Accordingly  the  Cumberland  Presbyterians 
soon  became  numerous  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  and 
not  many  years  elapsed  before  their  influence  and  numbers 
extended  to  the  neighboring  States.  In  1813,  a  Synod 
was  formed  out  of  the  various  churches  of  the  sect,  which 
had  three  Presbyteries  connected  with  it.  At  this  time 
they  so  modified  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith  as 
to  expunge  the  objectionable  points,  especially  that  having 


280  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

reference  to  absolute  decrees,  and  adapt  it  for  the  use  of 
the  members  of  the  church.  The  chief  points  of  difference 
which  were  introduced  into  that  Confession  were  as  fol- 
lows :  They  deny  that  the  doctrines  of  Election  or  Repro- 
bation, as  taught  in  the  Bible,  are  absolute,  irrespective 
of  faith  or  men's  conduct ;  but  that  Christians  are  elected 
and  chosen  in  consideration  of  their  voluntary  obedience, 
and  that  the  wicked  are  reprobated  in  consideration  of  their 
voluntary  disobedience.  They  teach  that  Christ  tasted  death 
for  every  man ;  that  all  persons  who  die  in  infancy  are  saved 
through  the  merits  of  Christ  and  the  sanctifying  influence  of 
the  Holy  Spirit ;  in  this  respect  differing  but  little  from 
the  leading  Protestant  denominations  throughout  the 
world.  They  believe,  also,  that  the  Holy  Spirit  operates 
on  all  men  in  such  a  manner  that  they  may  be  saved,  and 
that  the  reason  why  the  Spirit  is  effectual  in  one  case  and 
not  in  another,  is  because  the  dispositions  of  the  persons 
subjected  to  its  influence  are  different. 

In  the  progress  of  time  the  Cumberland  Presbyterians 
established  a  General  Assembly,  which  convened  for  the 
first  time  at  Princeton,  Kentucky,  in  May,  1829.  By 
this  means  they  organized  the  Presbyterian  form  of 
church  government  among  themselves  to  its  full  extent, 
including  Pastor,  Session,  Presbytery,  Synod,  and  General 
Assembly.  About  this  perioi  they  founded  a  college  at 
Princeton,  Ky.,  of  which  the  Rev.  F.  R.  Cossit  was  elected 
the  first  president.  The  sect  have  also  another  college  at 
Lebanon,  Tennessee,  of  which  Rev.  Richard  Beard  was 
the  first  president.  Subsequently  several  church  papers 
were  established  at  different  places,  such  as  the  Banner  of 
Peace,  at  Lebanon,  Tennessee ;  the  Ark,  at  Memphis ;  and 
the  Cumberland  Presbyterian,  at  Uniontown,  Pennsyl- 
vania. The  sect  was  introduced  into  Western  Pennsyl- 
vania about  the  year  1831,  and  some  churches  still  exist 
in  that  region  of  country.  Not  a  few  also  are  to  be  found 
in  Texas,  where  a  Synod  has  been  organized.  Several 
Presbyteries  exist  in  connection  with  it,  and  a  paper  called 
the  Texas  Presbyterian.  The  denomination  has  a  Board 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  281 

of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Missions,  a  Book  Agency,  estab- 
lished at  Louisville,  Kentucky,  and  several  other  useful 
institutions.  Its  members  generally  reside  in  the  Southern 
States.  There  are  twenty  Synods  in  connection  with  the 
General  Assembly,  seventy  Presbyteries,  eight  hundred 
congregations,  seven  hundred  preachers,  and  about  a  hun- 
dred thousand  communicants. 

WESLEYAN  METHODISTS. 

THE  sect  of  Wesley  an  Methodists  arose  in  this  country 
in  the  year  1824,  in  consequence  of  the  dissatisfaction 
entertained  by  many  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  with  the  introduction  of  Bishops  into  the  govern- 
ment of  that  Church.  They  contended  that  not  only  is 
such  an  order  in  the  ministry  unscriptural,  but  also  in  ex- 
press violation  of  the  wishes  of  John  Wesley.  They  quote 
a  declaration  of  that  eminent  man  as  contained  in  one  of 
his  letters  to  Mr.  Ashbury,  in  which  he  speaks  as  follows : 
"  One  instance  of  this,  your  greatness,  has  given  me  great 
concern.  How  can  you,  how  dare  you,  suffer  yourself  to 
be  called  a  Bishop  ?  I  shudder  at  the  very  thought. 
Men  may  call  me  a  man,  or  a  fool,  or  a  rascal,  or  a  scoun- 
drel, and  I  am  content ;  but  they  shall  never,  with  my 
consent,  call  me  a  Bishop.  For  my  sake,  for  God's  sake, 
for  Christ's  sake,  put  a  full  end  to  this." 

But  Episcopacy  was  introduced  into  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church  in  spite  of  Wesley's  earnest  protest  against 
it ;  and  those  members  who  could  not  reconcile  their  con- 
sciences to  this  policy  left  the  denomination,  and  formed 
the  Wesleyan  Methodist  Church.  They  were  also  in  favor 
of  a  more  democratic  and  popular  form  of  ecclesiastical 
government,  by  which  the  laity  would  be  allowed  to  have 
some  share  in  the  control  of  the  affairs  of  the  churches.  The 
reformers  held  their  first  conference  in  Baltimore,  in  No- 
vember, 1828.  Their  second  meeting  was  in  November, 
1830,  at  which  time  they  matured  and  adopted  definite  ar- 
ticles of  association,  together  with  a  constitution  and.  dia- 


282  HISTOEY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

cipline.  They  also  declared  their  abhorrence  of  the  insti- 
tution of  American  slavery,  and  forbade  any  of  their  mem- 
bers to  have  any  connection  with  it.  A  more  complete 
organization  was  subsequently  made  at  Utica,  N.  Y.,  in 
May,  1843.  They  then  organized  annual  conferences, 
enrolled  three  hundred  itinerant  preachers,  holding  regu- 
lar appointments,  and  recognized  about  twenty  thousand 
members.  They  have  congregations  in  the  New  England 
States,  in  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Virginia, 
and  a  few  of  the  Western  States.  They  possess  few  liter- 
ary or  theological  institutions,  and  are  noted  chiefly  for 
their  zeal  in  promoting  revivals  and  the  practical  aims  of 
religion. 

METHODIST  PROTESTANT  CHURCH. 

THIS  sect  arose  from  a  secession  from  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  which  took  place  about  the  year  1828, 
and  which  was  occasioned  by  the  dissatisfaction  of  some 
of  the  members  of  that  denomination  with  the  doctrine  that 
the  entire  government  of  the  Church  should  be  vested  in 
the  preachers,  to  the  total  exclusion  of  the  laity.  The 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  forbids  her  members  to  have 
anything  to  do  with  ecclesiastical  affairs  in  her  deliberative 
bodies,  and  denies  that  the  people  have  any  right  to  a 
Voice  and  a  representation  in  the  Conferences.  A  schism 
arose  in  the  Church  about  the  time  named,  in  reference  to 
a  proposed  change  in  this  respect,  which  has  resulted  in 
the  organization  of  the  Methodist  Protestant  Church. 

The  chief  difference  between  these  denominations  are 
two :  the  one  being  that  of  lay  representation  in  the  An- 
nual and  General  Conferences ;  and  the  other,  the  parity  of 
the  ministry,  that  is,  the  doctrine  that  there  should  be  no 
difference  of  rank  or  order  in  the  ministry.  Hence  the 
Protestant  Methodists  have  no  bishops  of  the  sort  and 
jurisdiction  which  exist  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church.  At  several  different  times  about  eighty  preach- 
ers have  seceded  from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  283 

from  dissatisfaction  with  these  tenets  and  usages  of  the 
Church ;  and  all  these  became  members  of  the  Methodist 
Protestant  Church.  The  first  General  Convention  waa 
held  at  Baltimore,  in  1830.  Eighty-three  clerical,  and  an 
equal  number  of  lay  delegates  were  present  from  New 
York,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland.  Virginia,  North  Carolina, 
Georgia,  Alabama,  Ohio,  and  New  Jersey.  At  that  period 
the  members  of  the  sect  amounted  to  about  five  thousand. 
The  Convention  adopted  a  Constitution,  which  embodied 
their  peculiar  views,  and  which  set  forth  that  Christ  was 
the  true  and  only  Head  of  the  Church ;  that  the  Scrip- 
tures are  the  sufficient  rule  of  faith  and  practice  ;  and  that 
a  written  constitution  establishing  a  settled  form  of  gov- 
ernment, on  an  equal  plan  of  representation,  was  neces- 
sary to  secure  to  Christians  their  religious  rights. 

The  General  Conference  convenes  every  fourth  year, 
and  consists  of  an  equal  number  of  preachers  and  laymen. 
One  of  each  appears  for  every  thousand  persons  in  full 
church  membership.  The  Annual  Conferences  assemble 
yearly,  and  these  have  power  to  provide  the  circuits  with 
preachers,  and  procure  means  to  pay  their  salaries.  There 
are  also  Quarterly  Conferences,  whose  duties  are  of  a  less 
responsible  nature,  being  chiefly  to  see  that  the  discipline 
of  the  church  is  properly  administered  towards  preachers 
and  members,  and  also  to  license  persons  to  exhort  and 
preach.  While  this  denomination  retain  the  itinerant 
system  in  theory,  it  is  not  fully  carried  out  in  practice,  it 
being  suspended  in  cases  where  the  interests  of  the  con- 
gregations may  demand  a  more  permanent  relation  with 
their  ministers.  Their  prominent  preachers  have  been 
the  two  Reeses,  Dr.  Waters  of  Maryland,  J.  R.  Williams 
of  Baltimore  and  T.  H.  Stockton.  The  sect  numbers 
about  fifty  thousand  communicants  and  five  hundred 
preachers. 


284  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 


ADVENTISTS,  OR  MILLERITES. 

THIS  singular  body  of  enthusiasts  have  been  pertina- 
ciously expecting  and  demanding  the  end  of  the  world, 
and  the  conflagration  of  the  universe,  during  some  years 
past.  Several  specific  dates  have  been  named  by  them, 
as  the  appointed  time  for  the  occurrence  of  this  serious 
and  disagreeable  catastrophe ;  and  although  all  their  pre- 
dictions have  hitherto  failed,  they  still  continue  from  time 
to  time  to  repeat  them,  and  to  appoint  a  new  era  for  the 
realization  of  their  hopes  and  prophecies. 

The  founder  of  this  sect  was  William  Miller,  of  Low 
Hampton,  New  York,  who  commenced  to  preach  in  the 
year  1833,  and  to  assert  positively  and  emphatically 
that  the  end  of  the  world  was  to  occur  in  1843.  His 
opinions'  were  first  published  in  the  Vermont  Telegraph. 
His  most  earnest  coadjutor  was  Joshua  V.  Himes.  Other 
journals  were  commenced,  advocating  the  same^views, 
such  as  the  Advent  Herald.  The  Millerites  based  their 
conviction  on  the  supposed  certainty  and  clearness  of 
their  interpretations  of  the  prophecies  of  the  Bible.  They 
computed,  as  they  believed  without  any  possibility  of  error, 
all  the  statements  of  the  Scriptures  respecting  the  Millen- 
nium ;  and  their  conduct  was  governed  in  accordance  with 
their  honest  convictions.  At  the  time  appointed  they 
were  all  prepared  with  ascension  robes,  and  other  fixings, 
to  meet  the  expected  exigences  of  the  occasion ;  but  their 
calculations  were  found  to  be  erroneous.  Those  who  still 
profess  to  belong  to  this  sect  entertain  the  opinion  that 
the  end  of  the  world  and  the  Millennial  era  are  very  near 
at  hand.  The  views  of  Mr.  Miller  himself  may  be  inferred 
from  the  following  "  elegant  extract"  from  one  of  his  pub- 
lished writings : 

"  I  understand  that  the  judgment  day  will  be  a  thou- 
sand years  long.  The  righteous  are  raised  and  judged  in 
the  commencement  of  that  day,  the  wicked  in  the  end  of 
that  day.  I  believe  that  the  saints  will  be  raised  and 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  285 

judged  about  the  year  1843,  according  to  Moses'  prophecy, 
Lev.  ch.  26;  Ezek.  ch.  39;  Daniel,  ch.  2,  7,  8-12;  Hos. 
v.  1-3  ;  Rev.  the  whole  book  ;  and  many  other  prophets 
have  spoken  of  these  things.  Time  will  soon  tell  if  I  am 
right,  and  soon  he  that  is  righteous  will  be  righteous  still ; 
and  he  that  is  filthy  will  be  filthy  still.  I  do  most 
solemnly  entreat  mankind  to  make  their  peace  with  God, 
and  be  ready  for  these  things.  '  The  end  of  all  things  is  at 
hand.'  I  do  ask  my  brethren  in  the  gospel  ministry  to 
consider  well  what  they  say  before  they  oppose  these 
things.  Say  not  in  your  hearts,  '  My  Lord  delay eth  his 
coming.'  Let  all  do  as  they  would  wish  they  had  if  it  does 
come,  and  none  will  say  they  have  not  done  right  if  it 
does  not  come.  I  believe  it  will  come ;  but  if  it  should 
not  come,  then  I  will  wait  and  look  until  it  does  come." 

MATERIALISTS. 

A  short  view  of  the  distinguishing  articles  in  this  system, 
and  a  few  of  the  arguments,  which  are  used  in  defence 
of  their  sentiments,  are  delineated  in  the  following  sum- 
mary: 

I.  That  man  is  no  more  than  what  we  now  see  of  him ; 
his  being  commences  at  the  time  of  his  conception,  or  per- 
haps at  an  earlier  period.  The  corporeal  and  mental 
faculties,  inhering  in  the  same  substance,  grow,  ripen,  and 
decay  together ;  and  whenever  the  system  is  dissolved,  it 
continues  in  a  state  of  dissolution,  till  it  shall  please  that 
almighty  Being  who  called  it  into  existence,  to  restore  it 
to  life  again.* 

*  Dr.  Priestley  considers  man  as  a  being,  consisting  of  what  is  called 
matter  disposed  in  a  certain  manner.  At  death,  the  parts  of  this  mate- 
rial substance  are  so  disarranged,  that  the  powers  of  perception  and 
thought,  which  depend  upon  this  arrangement,  cease.  At  the  resur- 
rection they  will  be  re-arranged  in  the  same,  or  in  a  similar  manner  as 
before,  and  consequently  the  powers  of  perception  and  thought  will  be 
restored.  Death,  with  its  concomitant  putrefaction  and  dispersion  of 
parts,  is  only  a  decomposition.  What  is  decomposed,  may  be  recom- 
poscd  by  the  Being  who  first  composed  it :  so  that,  in  the  most  proper 


286  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

For  if  the  mental  principle  was,  in  its  own  nature,  im- 
material and  immortal,  all  its  peculiar  faculties  would  be 
so  too ;  whereas,  we  see  that  every  faculty  of  the  mind, 
without  exception,  is  liable  to  be  impaired,  and  even  to 
become  wholly  extinct  before  death.  Since  therefore  all 
the  faculties  of  the  mind,  separately  taken,  appear  to  be 
mortal,  the  substance,  or  principle,  in  which  they  exist, 
must  be  pronounced  mortal  too.  Thus  we  might  con- 
clude, that  the  body  was  mortal,  from  observing,  that  all 
the  separate  senses  and  limbs  were  liable  to  decay  and 
perish. 

This  system  gives  a  real  value  to  the  doctrine  of  a  resur- 
rection from  the  dead ;  which  is  peculiar  to  revelation ;  on 
which  alone  the  sacred  writers  build  all  our  hope  of  future 
life ;  and  it  explains  the  uniform  language  of  the  scriptures, 
which  speak  of  one  day  of  judgment  for  all  mankind,  and 
represent  all  the  rewards  of  virtue,  and  all  the  punishments 
of  vice,  as  taking  place  at  that  awful  day,  and  not  before. 
In  the  scriptures,  the  heathens  are  represented  to  be  with- 
out hope,  and  all  mankind  as  perishing  at  death,  if  there 
be  no  resurrection  of  the  dead. 

The  Apostle  Paul  asserts  in  1  Cor.  xv.  16,  that,  "  If 
the  dead  rise  not,  then  is  not  Christ  raised ;  and  if  Christ 
be  not  raised,  your  faith  is  vain,  ye  are  yet  in  your  sins. 
Then  they  also  who  are  fallen  asleep  in  Christ,  are  perished." 
And  again,  ver.  32»  "  If  the  dead  rise  not,  let  us  eat  and 
drink,  for  to-morrow  we  die."  In  the  whole  discourse,  he 
does  not  even  mention  the  doctrine  of  happiness  or  misery 
without  the  body. 

If  we  search  the  scriptures  for  passages  expressive  of 
the  state  of  man  at  death,  we  find  such  declarations,  as 
expressly  exclude  any  trace  of  sense,  thought,  or  enjoy- 
ment. See  Psalm  vi.  5.  Job  xiv.  7. 

feense  of  the  word,  the  same  body,  which  dies,  shall  rise  again  ;  not  with 
every  thing  adventitious  and  extraneous,  as  what  we  receive  by  nutri- 
tion, but  with  the  same  stamina,  or  those  particles,  which  really  be< 
longed  to  the  germ  of  the  orgauical  body  These  will  be  collected  and 
revivified  at  the  resurrection. 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  287 

II.  That  there  is  some  fixed  law  of  nature  respecting 
the  will,  as  well  as  the  other  powers  of  the  mind,  and 
every  thing  else  in  the  constitution  of  nature ;  and  conse- 
quently, that  it  is  never  determined  without  some  real  or 
apparent  cause,  foreign  to  itself,  i.  e.  without  some  motive 
of  choice ;  or  that  motives  influence  us  in  some  definite 
and  invariable  manner ;  so  that  every  volition,  or  choice, 
is  constantly  regulated  and  determined  by  what  precedes 
it.  And  this  constant  determination  of  mind,  according 
to  the  motives  presented  to  it,  is  what  is  meant  by  its  ne- 
cessary determination.*  This  being  admitted  to  be  fact, 
there  will  be  a  necessary  connection  between  all  things 
past,  present,  and  to  come,  in  the  way  of  proper  cause 
and  effect,  as  much  in  the  intellectual  as  in  the  natural 
world  ;  so  that  according  to  the  established  laws  of  nature, 
no  event  could  have  been  otherwise  than  it  has  been,  is,  or 
is  to  be,  and  therefore,  all  things  past,  present,  and  to 
come,  are  precisely  what  the  Author  of  nature  really  in- 
tended them  to  be,  and  has  made  provision  for. 

To  establish  this  conclusion,  nothing  is  necessary,  but 
that  throughout  all  nature,  the  same  consequences  should 
invariably  result  from  the  same  circumstances.  For  if 
this  is  admitted,  it  will  necessarily  follow,  that  at  the  com- 
mencement of  any  system,  since  the  several  parts  of  it 

*  The  term  voluntary  is  not  opposed  to  necessary,  but  only  to  invol- 
untary, and  nothing  can  be  opposed  to  necessary,  but  contingent.  For 
a  voluntary  motion  may  be  regulated  by  certain  rules,  as  much  as  a 
mechanical  one;  and  if  it  be  regulated  by -any  certain  rules,  or  laws,  it 
is  as  necessary  as  any  mechanical  motion  whatever. 

To  suppose  the  most  perfectly  voluntary  choice  to  be  made  without 
regard  to  the  laws  of  nature,  so  that  with  the  same  inclination,  and 
the  same  views  of  things  presented  to  us,  we  might  be  even  voluntarily 
disposed  to  choose  either  of  two  different  things  at  the  same  moment 
of  time,  is  just  as  impossible,  as  that  an  involuntary  or  mechanical  mo- 
tion should  depend  upon  no  certain  laws  or  rule,  or  that  any  other 
effect,  should  exist  without  an  adequate  cause.  If  the  mind  is  as  con- 
stantly determined  by  the  influence  of  motives,  as  a  stone  is  determined 
to  fall  to  the  ground  by  the  influence  of  gravity,  we  are  constrained 
to  conclude,  that  the  cause  in  the  one  acts  as  necessarily  as  in  the 
other. 


288  HISTOKY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

and  their  respective  situations  were  appointed  by  the  Deity, 
the  first  change  would  take  place  according  to  a  certain 
rule,  established  by  himself,  the  result  of  which  would  be 
a  new  situation ;  after  which,  the  same  laws  continuing, 
another  change  would  succeed,  according  to  the  same  rules, 
and  so  on  forever  ;  every  new  situation  invariably  lea  ling 
to  another,  and  every  event,  from  the  commencement  to 
the  termination  of  the  system,  being  strictly  connected ; 
so  that,  unless  the  fundamental  laws  of  the  system  were 
changed,  it  would  be  impossible  that  any  event  should 
have  been  otherwise  than  it  was. 

In  all  these  cases,  the  circumstances  preceding  any 
change,  are  called  the  causes  of  that  change  ;  and  since  a 
determinate  event,  or  eifect,  constantly  follows  certain 
circumstances,  or  causes,  the  connection  between  cause  and 
effect  is  concluded  to  be  invariable  and  therefore  necessary. 

It  is  universally  acknowledged,  that  there  can  be  no 
effect  without  an  adequate  cause.  This  is  even  the  foun- 
dation on  which  the  only  proper  argument  for  the  being 
of  a  God  rests.  And  the  Necessarian  asserts,  that  if,  in 
any  given  state  of  mind,  with  respect  both  to  dispositions 
and  motives,  two  different  determinations,  or  violations,  be 
possible,  it  can  be  on  no  other  principle,  than  that  one  of 
them  should  come  under  the  description  of  an  effect  with- 
out a  cause,  just  as  if  the  beam  of  a  balance  might  incline 
either  way,  though  loaded  with  equal  weights.  And  if 
any  thing  whatever,  even  a  thought  in  the  mind  of  man, 
could  arise  without  an  adequate  cause,  any  thing  else,  the 
mind  itself,  or  the  whole  universe,  might  likewise  exist 
without  an  adequate  cause. 

This  scheme  of  philosophical  necessity,  implies  a  chain 
of  causes  and  effects,  established  by  infinite  wisdom,  and 
terminating  in  the  greatest  good  of  the  whole  universe. 
Evils  of  all  kinds,  natural  and  moral,  being  admitted,  as 
far  as  they  contribute  to  that  end,  or  are  in  the  nature  of 
things  inseparable  from  it.* 

*  Dr.  Priestley  says  the  doctrine  of  necessity  contains  all  that  the 
heart  of  mail  cau  wish.  It  leads  us  to  consider  ourselves,  and  every 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

Vice  is  productive  not  of  good,  but  of  evil  to 
here  and  hereafter ;  though  good  may  result  from  it  to" 
whole  system.  And  according  to  the  fixed  laws  of  nature, 
our  present  and  future  happiness  necessarily  depend  on  our 
cultivating  good  dispositions.* 

Our  learned  author  distinguishes  this  scheme  of  philo- 
sophical necessity  from  the  Calvinistic  doctrine  of  predes- 
tination, in  the  following  particulars : 

I.  No  Necessarian  supposes  that  any  of  the  human  race 
will  suffer  eternally ;  but  that  future  punishments  will  an- 
swer the  same  purpose  as  temporal  ones  are  found  to  do, 
all  of  which  tend  to  good,  and  are  evidently  admitted  for 
that  purpose. 

Upon  the  doctrine  of  necessity  also,  the  most  indiffer- 
ent actions  of  men  are  equally  necessary  with  the  most 
important ;  since  every  volition,  like  any  other  effect, 
must  have  an  adequate  cause,  depending  upon  the  pre- 
vious state  of  the  mind,  and  the  influence  to  which  it  is 
exposed. 

II.  The  Necessarian  believes  that  his  own  dispositions 
and  actions  are  the  necessary  and  sole  means  of  his  present 
and  future  happiness ;  so  that,  in  the  most  proper  sense  of 
the  words,  it  depends  entirely  upon  himself,  whether  he 
be  virtuous  or  vicious,  happy  or  miserable. 

III.  The  Calvinistic  system  entirely  excludes  the  popu- 
lar notion  of  free-will,  viz.,  the  liberty  or  power  of  doing 
what  we  please,  virtuous  or  vicious,  as  belonging  to  every 
person  in  every  situation;  which  is  perfectly  consistent 

thing  else,  as  at  the  uncontrolled  disposal  of  the  greatest  and  best  of 
Beings ;  that,  strictly  speaking,  nothing  does,  or  can  go  wrong  ;  and 
that  all  retrograde  motions  in  the  moral,  as  well  as  in  the  natural  world, 
are  only  apparent,  not  real. 

*  By  our  being  liable  to  punishment  for  our  actions  and  accountable 
for  them,  is  meant,  that  it  is  wise  and  good  in  the  Supreme  Being  to 
appoint,  that  certain  sufferings  should  follow  certain  actions,  provided 
they  be  voluntary,  though  necessary  ones.  A  course  of  voluntary  ac- 
tions and  sufferings  being  calculated  to  promote  the  greatest  ultimate 
good. 
19 


290  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

with  the  doctrine  of  philosophical  necessity,  and  indeed 
results  from  it. 

IV.  The  Necessarian  believes  nothing  of  the  posterity 
of  Adam's  sinning  in  him,  and  of  their  being  liable  to  the 
wrath  of  God  on  that  account,  or  the  necessity  of  an  infi- 
nite Being  making  atonement  for  them  by  suffering  in 
their  stead,  and  thus  making  the  Deity  propitious  to  them. 
He  believes  nothing  of  all  the  actions  of  any  man  being 
necessarily  sinful;  but,  on  the  contrary,  thinks  that  the 
very  worst  of  men  are  capable  of  benevolent  intentions  in 
many  things  that  they  do ;  and  likewise,  that  very  good 
men  are  capable  of  falling  from  virtue,  and  consequently, 
of  sinking  into  final  perdition.  Upon  the  principles  of 
the  Necessarian,  also,  all  late  repentance,  and  especially 
after  long  and  confirmed  habits  of  vice,  is  altogether  and 
necessarily  ineffectual ;  there  not  being  sufficient  time  left 
to  produce  a  change  of  disposition  and  character,  which 
can  only  be  done  by  a  change  of  conduct  of  proportionably 
long  continuance. 

In  short  the  three  doctrines  of  Materialism,  Philosophi- 
cal Necessity,  and  Socinianism,  are  considered  as  equally 
parts  of  one  system.  The  scheme  of  necessity  is  the  im- 
mediate result  of  the  materiality  of  man ;  for  mechanism 
is  the  undoubted  consequence  of  materialism.  And  that 
man  is  wholly  material,  is  eminently  subservient  to  the 
proper,  or  mere  humanity  of  Christ.  For  if  no  man  has 
a  soul  distinct  from  his  body,  Christ,  who  in  all  other  re- 
spects, appeared  as  a  man,  could  not  have  a  soul  which 
had  existed  before  his  body.  And  the  whole  doctrine  of 
the  pre-existence  of  souls,  of  which  the  opinion  of  the  pre- 
existence  of  Christ  is  a  branch,  will  be  effectually  over- 
turned. 


TEACTARIANS,  OR  PUSEYITES. 

THIS  name  has  been  given  by  their  opponents  to  a  school 
of  theologians,  members  of  the  established  Episcopal 
church  in  England,  whose  tenets  have  been  set  forth  in  a 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  291 

series  of  publications,  Known  as  the  Oxford  tracts,  which 
began  to  appear  about  the  year  1833-4.  From  one  of  the 
most  able  and  indefatigable  of  the  champions  of  the  party, 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Pusey,  the  advocates  of  these  tenets  have 
been  also  called  Puseyites. 

The  main  points,  insisted  on  by  them,  according  to 
their  own  accounts,  are  the  following : 

1.  The  doctrine  of  Apostolic  succession  as  a  rule  of 
practice  ;  that  is,  First,  That  the  participation  of  the  Body 
and  Blood  of  Christ  is  essential  to  the  maintenance  of 
Christian  life  and  hope  in  each  individual.     Second,  That 
it  is  conveyed  to  individual  Christians,  only  by  the  hands 
of  the  successors  of   the  Apostles  and  their  delegates. 
Third,  That  the  successors  of  the  Apostles  are  those  wrho 
are  descended  in  a  direct  line  from  them,  by  the  imposi- 
tion of  hands ;  and  that  the  delegates  of  these  are  the  re- 
spective presbyters  whom  each  has  commissioned. 

II.  That  it  is  sinful,  voluntarily  to  allow  the  interfer- 
ence of  persons  or  bodies  not  members  of  the  church  in 
matters  spiritual. 

III.  That   it   is  desirable  to   make  the   church  more 
popular,  as  far  as  is  consistent  with  the  maintenance  of  its 
Apostolical  character. 

The  following  memorandum,  drawn  up  by  Mr.  Newman, 
one  of  the  most  distinguished  members  of  the  school,  ex- 
plains more  fully  the  original  intention  and  peculiar  doc- 
trines of  the  Tractarians : 

Considering,  1.  That  the  only  way  of  salvation  is  the 
partaking  of  the  Body  and  Blood  of  our  sacrificed  Re- 
deemer. 

2.  That  the  means,   expressly  authorized  by  him  for 
that  purpose,  is  the  Holy  Sacrament  of  his  Supper. 

3.  That  the  security,  by  him  no  less  expressly  author- 
ized,  for  the  continuance  and  due   application   of  that 
Sacrament,  is,  the  Apostolical  commission  of  the  Bishops, 
and,  under  them,  the  Presbyters  of  the  church. 

4.  That  under  the  present  circumstances  of  the  Church 
of  England,  there  is  peculiar  danger  of  these  matters 


292  HISTORY  OP  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

being  slighted  and  practically  disavowed,  and  of  numbers 
of  Christians  being  left  or  tempted  to  precarious  and  unau- 
thorized ways  of  communion,  which  must  terminate  often 
in  virtual  apostasy. 

We  desire  to  pledge  ourselves,  one  to  another,  reserv- 
ing our  canonical  obedience,  as  follows : 

1.  To  be  on  the  watch  for  all  opportunities  of  inculca- 
ting, on  all  committed  to  our  charge,  a  due  sense  of  the 
inestimable  privilege  of  communion  with  our  Lord,  through 
the  successors  of  the  Apostles  ;  and  of  leading  them  to  the 
resolution  to  transmit  it,  by  his  blessing,  unimpaired  to 
their  children. 

2.  To  provide  and  circulate  books  and  tracts,  which 
may  tend  to  familiarize  the  imaginations  of  men  to  the 
ideal  of  an  Apostolical  commission,  to  represent  to  them 
the  feelings  and  principles  resulting  from  that  doctrine,  in 
the  purest  and  earliest  churches,  and  especially  to  point 
out  its  fruits,  as  exemplified  in  the  practice  of  the  primi- 
tive  Christians ;  their  communion  with  each  other,  how- 
ever widely  separated,  and  their  resolute  sufferings  for  the 
truth's  sake. 

3.  To    do  what   lies   in   us   towards   reviving    among 
Churchmen,  the  practice  of  daily  common  prayer,   and 
more  frequent  participation  of  the  Lord's   Supper.     And 
whereas  there  seems  great  danger,  at  present,  of  attempts 
at  unauthorized  and  inconsiderate  innovation,  as  in  other 
matters,  so  especially  in  the  service  of  our  church,  we 
pledge  ourselves, 

4.  To  resist  any  attempt  that  may  be  made,  to  alter 
the  liturgy  on  insufficient  authority ;  i.  e.  without  the  exer- 
cise of  the  free  and  deliberate  judgment  of  the  church  on 
the  alterations  proposed : 

5.  It  will  also  be  one  of  our  objects  to  place,  within 
the  reach  of  all  men,  sound  and  true  accounts  of  those 
points  in   our  discipline  and  worship,  which  may  appear, 
from  time  to  time,  most  likely  to  be  misunderstood  or  un- 
dervalued, and  to  suggest  such  measures,  as  may  promise 
to  be  most  successful  in  preserving  them. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  298 

In  regard  to  the  charge  of  Romanism,  so  frequently 
brought  against  the  Tractarians,  we  find  in  the  first  vol- 
ume of  the  tracts  the  following  statement  of  "  irreconcila- 
ble differences"  with  Rome,  by  one  of  them  : 

Be  assured  of  this — no  party  will  be  more  opposed  to 
our  doctrine,  if  it  ever  prospers  and  makes  a  noise,  than 
the  Roman  party.  This  has  been  proved  before  now. 
In  the  seventeenth  century,  the  theology  of  the  divines  of 
the  English  Church  was  substantially  the  same  as  ours  is ; 
and  it  experienced  the  fell  hostility  of  the  Papacy.  It 
was  the  true  Via  Media  :  Rome  sought  to  block  up  that 
way,  as  fiercely  as  the  puritans.  History  tells  us  this.  In 
a  few  words  I  will  state  some  of  my  irreconcilable  differ- 
ences with  Rome,  as  she  is ;  and  in  stating  her  errors, 
I  will  closely  follow  the  order  observed  by  Bishop  Hall, 
in  his  treatise  on  The  Old  Religion,  whose  Protestantism 
is  unquestionable. 

I  consider  that  it  is  unscriptural  to  say,  with  the 
Church  of  Rome,  that  we  are  justified  by  inherent  right- 
eousness. 

That  it  is  unscriptural  to  say  that  "  the  good  works 
of  a  man  justified  do  truly  merit  eternal  life." 

That  the  doctrine  of  transubstantiation,  as  not  being 
revealed,  but  a  theory  of  man's  devising,  is  profane  and 
impious. 

That  the  denial  of  the  cup  to  the  laity,  is  a  bold  and 
unwarranted  encroachment  on  their  privileges  as  Christ's 
people. 

That  the  sacrifice  of  masses,  as  it  has  been  practised 
in  the  Roman  Church,  is  without  foundation  in  Scripture 
or  antiquity,  and  therefore  blasphemous  and  dangerous. 

That  the  honor  paid  to  images  is  very  full  of  peril  in 
the  case  of  the  uneducated,  that  is,  of  the  great  part  of 
Christians. 

That  indulgences,  as  in  use,  are  a  gross  and  monstrous 
Invention  of  later  times. 

That  the  received  doctrine  of  purgatory  is  at  variance 


294  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

with  Scripture,  cruel  to  the  better  sort  of  Christians,  and 
administering  deceitful  comfort  to  the  irreligious. 

That  the  practice  of  celebrating  Divine  service  in  an 
unknown  tongue,  is  a  great  corruption. 

That  forced  confession  is  an  unauthorized  and  danger- 
ous practice. 

That  the  direct  invocation  of  the  saints  is  a  dangerous 
practice,  as  tending  to  give,  often  actually  giving,  to  crea- 
tures, the  honor  and  reliance  due  to  the  Creator  alone. 

That  there  are  seven  sacraments. 

That  the  Roman  doctrine  of  Tradition  is  unscriptural. 

That  the  claim  of  the  Pope,  to  be  universal  Bishop, 
is  against  Scripture  and  antiquity. 

I  might  add  other  points,  in  which  also,  I  protest 
against  the  church  of  Rome,  but  I  think  it  enough  to 
make  my  confession  in  Hall's  order,  and  so  leave  it. 

And  Mr.  Newman  himself  says  :  "  Whether  we  be  right 
or  wrong,  our  theory  of  religion  has  a  meaning,  and  that 
really  distinct  from  Romanism.  They  maintain  that  faith 
depends  upon  the  Church ;  we  that  the  Church  is  built 
upon  the  faith.  By  Church  Catholic  we  mean  the  Church 
Universal ;  they,  those  branches  of  it  which  are  in  com- 
munion with  Rome.  Again,  they  understand  by  the  faith, 
whatever  the  Church  at  any  time  declares  to  be  faith ;  we, 
what  it  has  actually  so  declared  from  the  beginning. 
Both  they  and  we  anathematise  those  who  deny  the  faith ; 
but  they  extend  the  condemnation  to  all  who  question  any 
decree  of  the  Roman  church ;  we  apply  it  to  those  only 
who  deny  any  article  of  the  original  Apostolical  creed." 

Tractarians  seem  to  insist  that  no  vital  Christianity  can 
exist  out  of  the  pale  of  the  Episcopal  Church.  "  A  church," 
says  the  British  Critic,  their  principal  organ  in  Eng- 
land, "  is  such  only  by  virtue  of  that  from  which  it  obtains 
its  unity — and  it  obtains  its  unity  only  from  that  in  which  it 
centres,  viz.,  the  Bishop.  And  therefore,  all  its  teaching 
must  be  through  the  medium  of  the  Episcopate,  as  is  ^au- 
tifully  expressed  in  the  act  of  the  synod  of  Bethlehem, 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  295 

which  the  Eastern  Church  transmitted  to  the  nonjuring 
Bishops. 

Therefore  we  declare  that  this  hath  ever  been  the 
doctrine  of  the  Eastern  Church — that  the  Episcopal  dig- 
nity is  so  necessary  in  the  Church,  that  without  a  Bishop 
there  cannot  exist  any  Church,  nor  any  Christian  man ; 
no,  not  so  much  as  in  name.  For  he,  as  successor  of  the 
Apostles,  having  received  the  grace,  given  to  the  Apostle 
himself  of  the  Lord,  to  bind  and  to  loose,  by  imposition 
of  hands  and  the  invocation  of  the  Holy  Ghost — by  con- 
tinuous succession  from  one  to  another,  is  a  living  image  of 
God  upon  earth — and  by  the  fullest  communication  of 
the  virtue  of  that  Spirit  who  works  in  all  ordinances,  is  the 
source  of  and  fountain,  as  it  were,  of  all  those  mysteries 
of  the  Catholic  Church,  through  which  we  obtain  salva- 
tion. And  we  hold  the  necessity  of  a  Bishop  to  be  as 
great  in  the  Church  as  the  breath  of  life  is  in  man,  or  as 
the  sun  is  in  the  system  of  creation.  Whence,  also,  some 
have  elegantly  said,  in  praise  of  Episcopal  dignity,  that 
as  God  himself  is  in  the  heavenly  Church  the  first  born, 
and  as  the  sun  in  the  world,  so  is  every  Bishop  in  the 
Diocesan  or  particular  church,  inasmuch  as  it  is  through 
him  that  the  flock  is  lightened  and  warmed,  and  made  into 
a  Temple  of  God.  But  that  the  great  mystery  and  dignity 
of  the  Episcopate  has  been  continued,  by  succession  from 
one  Bishop  to  another,  to  our  time,  is  clear.  For  the 
Lord  promised  to  be  with  us,  even  unto  the  end  of  the 
world ;  and  although  he  be  indeed  with  us,  also,  by  other 
modes  of  grace  and  divine  benefit,  yet  does  he,  in  a  more 
especial  manner,  through  the  Episcopate,  as  the  prime 
source  of  all  holy  ministrations,  make  us  his  own,  abide 
with  us  and  render  himself  one  with  us,  and  us  with  him, 
through  the  holy  mysteries  of  which  the  Bishop  is  the 
chief  minister  and  prime  worker,  through  the  Spirit. 

Tractarianism  has  been  often  called  a  "  sacramental  re- 
ligion," because  of  the  extreme  views  of  its  supporters  in 
regard  to  the  efficacy  of  baptism  and  the  administration  of 
the  Lord's  Supper.  It  must  be  confessed,  however,  that 


296  HISTORY  or  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

in  defence  of  their  views  they  quote  the  earliest  and  most 
revered  authorities,  and  adduce  numerous  strong  passages 
from  the  writings  of  Cranmer  and  Ridley,  the  composers 
of  those  Thirty-nine  Articles,  which  may  be  said  to  lie  at 
the  foundation  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church.  Thus 
Ridley  says  :  "  As  the  hody  is  nourished  by  the  bread  and 
wine,  at  the  Communion,  and  the  soul  by  grace  and  Spirit, 
with  the  body  of  Christ ;  even  so,  in  baptism,  the  body  is 
washed  with  the  visible  water,  and  the  soul  cleansed  from 
all  filth  by  the  invisible  Holy  Ghost." 

And  Cranmer,  the  martyr,  is  quoted  in  behalf  of  the 
Tractarian  view  regarding  baptism  as  follows:  "And 
when  you  say,  that  in  baptism  we  receive  the  Spirit  of 
Christ,  and  in  the  sacrament  of  his  body,  we  receive  his 
very  flesh  and  blood,  this  your  saying  is  no  small  deroga- 
tion to  baptism ;  wherein  we  receive,  not  only  the  Spirit 
of  Christ  but  also  Christ  himself,  whole  body  and  soul, 
manhood  and  Godhead,  unto  everlasting  life.  For  St. 
Paul  saith,  as  many  as  be  baptized  in  Christ,  put  Christ 
upon  them.  Nevertheless,  this  is  done  in  divers  respects  ; 
for  in  baptism,  it  is  done  in  respect  of  regeneration,  and 
in  the  Holy  Communion,  in  respect  of  nourishment  and 
sustentation." 

"  Thus  it  is,"  says  Bishop  Doane  of  New  Jersey,  "  that 
the  bishops,  doctors,  martyrs  of  the  Reformation,  teach  a 
'religion  of  sacraments.'  Such  and  only  such,  is  the 
i  sacramental  religion'  which  the  men  of  Oxford  preach. 
How  can  they  do  other,  when  it  is  written,  in  the  words 
of  Jesus  Christ  himself,  c  Verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  thee, 
except  a  man  be  born  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit — he  can- 
not enter  the  kingdom  of  God ;'  and  again,  '  He  that 
eateth  my  flesh,  and  drinketh  my  blood,  dwelleth  in  me, 
and  I  in  him  !'  When  it  is  written,  in  the  words  of  St. 
Paul,  '  According  to  his  mercy  he  saved  us,  by  the  wash- 
ing of  regeneration,  and  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;' 
and  again,  '  The  cup  of  blessing  which  we  bless,  is  it  not 
the  communion  of  the  blood  of  Christ  ?  The  bread  which 
we  break,  is  it  not  the  communion  of  the  body  of  Christ  ?' 


HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  297 

"When  it  is  written  in  the  words  of  St.  Peter,  *  Repent  and 
be  baptized  every  one  of  you,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ, 
for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of 
the  Holy  Ghost ;'  and  again,  '  The  figure  whereunto  even 
baptism  doth  now  save  us.'  But  let  the  whole  subject  be 
summed  up  in  the  words  of  Mr.  Simeon :  i  St.  Peter  says, 
"  Repent  and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you,  for  the  remis- 
sion of  sins,"  and  in  another  place,  "  Baptism  doth  now 
save  us.'  And  speaking  elsewhere  of  baptized  persons, 
who  were  unfruitful  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  he  says,  "  He  hath  forgotten  that  he  was  purged 
from  his  old  sins."  Does  not  this  very  strongly  counte- 
nance the  idea  which  our  Reformers  entertain,  that  the 
remission  of  our  sins,  and  the  regeneration  of  our  souls,  is 
attendant  on  the  baptismal  rite.'  ' 

"According  to  our  church,"  says  Dr.  Pusey,  "  we  are, 
by  baptism,  brought  into  a  state  of  salvation  or  justifica- 
tion, (for  the  words  are  thus  far  equivalent,)  a  state  into 
which  we  were  brought  by  God's  free  mercy  alone,  with- 
out works,  but  in  which,  having  been  placed,  we  are  to 
'work  out  our  own  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,' 
through  the  indwelling  Spirit  of  c  God,  working  in  us,  to 
will  and  to  do  of  his  good  pleasure.' ' 

And  the  following  passage  from  the  lectures  of  Dr. 
Pusey's  celebrated  co-laborer,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Newman,  may 
be  regarded  as  sufficient  in  imparting  an  idea  of  the  views 
of  the  Tractarians  upon  the  subject  of  justification  : 

"  In  the  foregoing  lectures,  a  view  has  been  taken,  sub- 
stantially the  same  as  this,  but  approaching  more  nearly 
in  language  to  the  Calvinist ;  namely,  that  Christ  indwell- 
ing is  our  righteousness ;  only  what  is  with  them  a  matter 
of  words,  I  would  wish  to  use  in  a  real  sense,  as  express- 
ing a  sacred  mystery  ;  and  therefore  I  have  spoken  of  it  in 
the  language  of  Scripture,  as  <  the  indwelling  of  Christ 
through  the  Spirit.'  Stronger  language  cannot  be  de- 
sired, than  that  which  the  Calvinists  use  on  the  subject ; 
so  much  so,  that  it  may  well  be  believed  that  many  who 
use  it,  as  the  great  Hooker  himself,  at  the  time  he  wrote 


298  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

his  Treatise,  meant  what  they  say.  For  instance,  the 
words  of  a  celebrated  passage  which  occurs  in  it,  taken 
literally,  do  most  entirely  express  the  doctrine  on  the  sub- 
ject, which  seems  to  me  the  scriptural  and  catholic  view  : 
6  Christ  hath  merited  righteousness  for  as  many  as  are 
found  in  him.  In  him  God  findeth  us,  if  we  be  faithful ; 
for  by  faith  we  are  incorporated  into  Christ.  Then,  al- 
though in  ourselves  we  be  altogether  sinful  and  unright- 
eous ;  yet  even  the  man  which  is  impious  in  himself,  full 
of  iniquity,  full  of  sin,  him  being  found  in  Christ  through 
faith,  and  having  his  sin  remitted  through  repentance,  him 
God  beholdeth  with  a  gracious  eye,  putteth  away  his  sin  by 
not  imputing  it,  taketh  quite  away  the  punishment  due  there- 
to by  pardoning  it,  and  accepteth  him  in  Jesus  Christ,  as 
perfectly  righteous,  as  if  he  had  fulfilled  all  that  was  com- 
manded him  in  the  Law ;  shall  I  say  more  perfectly  right- 
eous than  if  himself  had  fulfilled  the  whole  law  ?  I  must 
take  heed  what  I  say ;  but  the  Apostle  saith,  God  made 
Him  which  knew  no  sin,  to  be  sin  for  us ;  that  we  might 
be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  Him.  Such  we  are 
in  the  sight  of  God  the  Father,  as  is  the  very  Son  of  God 
Himself.  Let  it  be  counted  folly,  or  phrensy,  or  fury,  or 
whatsoever,  it  is  our  comfort  and  our  wisdom ;  we  care 
for  no  knowledge  in  the  world  but  this,  that  man  hath 
sinned,  and  God  hath  suffered ;  that  God  hath  made  Him- 
self the  sin  of  man,  and  that  men  are  made  the  righteous- 
ness of  God.' ' 

"Justification,  then,"  says  Mr.  Newman,  in  another 
place,  "  viewed  relatively  to  the  past,  is  forgiveness  of  sin, 
for  nothing  more  can  it  be  ;  but,  considered  as  to  the  pre- 
sent and  future,  it  is  more ;  it  is  renewal,  wrought  in  us 
by  the  Spirit  of  Him,  who,  withal  by  his  death  and  passion, 
wTashes  away  its  still  adhering  imperfections,  as  well  as 
blots  out  what  is  past.  And  faith  is  said  to  justify  in  two 
principal  ways  : — first,  as  continually  pleading  before  God ; 
and  secondly,  as  being  the  first  recipient  of  the  Spirit,  the 
root,  and  therefore,  the  earnest  and  anticipation,  of  perfect 
obedience." 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  299 

"Dpon  the  subject  of  transubstantiation,  Dr.  Pusey  says: 
u  We  believe  the  doctrine  of  our  Church  to  be,  that  in  the 
Communion  there  is  a  true,  real,  actual,  though  spiritual, 
(or  rather  the  more  real,  because  spiritual,)  communica- 
tion of  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ  to  the  believer 
through  the  Holy  Elements  ;  that  there  is  a  true,  real, 
spiritual  Presence  of  Christ  at  the  Holy  Supper ;  more 
real  than  if  we  could,  with  Thomas,  feel  Him  with  our 
hands,  or  thrust  our  hands  into  His  side ;  that  this  is  be- 
stowed upon  faith,  and  received  by  faith,  as  is  every  other 
spiritual  gift,  but  that  our  faith  is  but  a  receiver  of  God's 
real,  mysterious,  precious  gift;  that  faith  opens  our  eyes 
to  see  what  is  really  there,  and  our  hearts  to  receive  it ; 
but  that  it  is  there,  independently  of  our  faith.  And  this 
Real,  Spiritual  Presence  it  is,  which  makes  it  so  awful  a 
thing  to  approach  unworthily." 

In  defence  of  these  views,  the  authority  of  Cranmer, 
the  martyr,  is  quoted  who  says :  "  Christ  saith  of  the 
Bread,  'This  is  My  Body;'  and  of  the  Cup  He  saith, 
1  This  is  My  Blood.'  Wherefore  we  ought  to  believe  that 
in  the  Sacrament  we  receive  truly  the  Body  and  Blood  of 
Christ.  For  God  is  almighty,  ( as  ye  heard  in  the  Creed.) 
He  is  able,  therefore,  to  do  all  things,  what  He  will. 
And,  as  St.  Paul  writeth,  He  called  those  things  which  be 
not  as  if  they  were.  Wherefore,  when  Christ  taketh 
Bread,  and  saith,  'Take,  eat,  this  is  My  Body,'  we  ought 
not  to  doubt  but  we  eat  His  very  Body.  And  when  He 
taketh  the  Cup,  and  saith,  '  Take,  drink,  this  is  My  Blood,' 
we  ought  to  think  assuredly  that  we  drink  His  very 
Blood.  And  this  we  must  believe,  if  we  will  be  counted 
Christian  men. 

"  And  whereas,  in  this  perilous  time,  certain  deceitful 
persons  be  found,  in  many  places,  who,  of  very  froward- 
ness,  will  not  grant  that  there  is  the  Body  and  Blood  of 
Christ,  but  deny  the  same,  for  none  other  cause  but  that 
they  cannot  compass,  by  man's  blind  reason,  how  this 
thing  should  be  brought  to  pass ;  ye,  good  children,  shall 
with  all  diligence  beware  of  such  persons,  that  ye  suffer 


300  HISTORY  OF   ALL  RELIGIONS. 

not  yourselves  to  be  deceived  by  them.  For  such  men 
surely  are  not  true  Christians,  neither  as  yet  have  they 
learned  the  first  article  of  the  Creed,  which  teacheth  that 
God  is  almighty,  which  ye,  good  children,  have  already 
perfectly  learned.  Wherefore,  eschew  such  erroneous 
opinions,  and  believe  the  words  of  our  Lord  Jesus,  that 
you  eat  and  drink  His  very  Body  and  Blood,  although 
man's  reason  cannot  comprehend  how  and  after  what  man- 
ner the  same  is  there  present.  For  the  wisdom  of  reason 
must  be.  subdued  to  the  obedience  of  Christ,  as  the  Apostle 
Paul  teacheth." 

The  Tractarians  are  charged  with  inculcating  the  ne- 
cessity of  dispensing  religious  truth  with  caution,  not 
throwing  it  promiscuously  before  minds  ill-suited  to  re- 
ceive it.  What  Oxford  teaches  may  be  presented,  in  a  few 
words,  from  Dr.  Pusey's  Letter  to  the  Lord  Chancellor : 

"  In  brief,  then,  my  Lord,  the  meaning  of  our  Church, 
( as  we  conceive,)  in  these  Articles,  is,  that  the  Scripture 
is  the  sole  authoritative  source  of  the  Faith,  i.  e.  of 
i  things  to  be  believed  in  order  to  salvation  ;'  the  Church 
is  the  medium,  through  which  that  knowledge  is  conveyed 
to  individuals ;  she,  under  her  responsibility  to  God,  and 
in  subjection  to  His  Scripture,  and  with  the  guidance  of 
His  Spirit,  testifies  to  her  children,  what  truths  are  neces- 
sary to  be  believed  in  order  to  salvation;  expounds  Scrip- 
ture to  them ;  determines,  when  controversies  arise ;  and 
this,  not  in  the  character  of  a  judge,  but  as  a  witness,  to 
what  she  herself  received." 

And  in  this  view  of  the  meaning  of  the  Church,  we 
are  further  confirmed  by  the  Canon  of  the  Convocation  of 
1571,  the  same  Convocation  which  enforced  subscription 
to  the  Articles. 

"  The  preachers  shall  in  the  first  place  be  careful 
never  to  teach  any  thing  from  the  pulpit,  to  be  religiously 
held  and  believed  by  the  people,  but  what  is  agreeable  to 
the  doctrine  of  the  Old  or  New  Testament,  and  collected 
out  of  that  very  Doctrine  by  the  Catholic  Fathers  and  an- 
cient Bishops. 


HISTORY   OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  301 

"  So  have  we  ever  wished  to  teach,  c  what  is  agreeable 
to  the  Doctrine  of  the  Old  or  New  Testament :'  and,  as 
the  test  of  its  being  thus  agreeable,  we  would  take,  not 
our  own  private  and  individual  judgments,  but  that  of  the 
Universal  Church,  as  attested  by  the  Catholic  Fathers 
and  Ancient  Bishops.  " 

Nor  do  we,  in  this,  nor  did  they,  approximate  to  Ro- 
manism :  but  rather  they  herein  took  the  strongest  and  the 
only  unassailable  position  against  it.  Rome  and  ourselves 
have  alike  appealed  to  the  authority  of  "the  Church;" 
but,  in  the  mouth  of  a  Romanist,  the  Church  means  so 
much  of  the  Church  as  is  in  communion  with  herself,  in 
other  words,  it  means  herself:  with  us,  it  means  the  Uni- 
versal Church,  to  which  Rome,  as  a  particular  Church,  is 
subject,  and  ought  to  yield  obedience.  With  Rome,  it 
matters  not  whether  the  decision  be  of  the  Apostolic  times, 
or  of  yesterday ;  whether  against  the  teachers  of  the  early 
Church,  or  with  it ;  whether  the  whole  Church  universal 
throughout  the  world  agree  in  it,  or  only  a  section,  which 
holds  communion  with  herself:  she,  as  well  as  Calvin, 
makes  much  of  the  authority  of  the  Fathers,  when  she 
thinks  that  they  make  for  her ;  but  she,  equally  with  the 
founder  of  the  Ultra-Protestants,  sets  at  naught  their  au- 
thority, so  soon  as  they  tell  against  her :  she  unscrupu- 
lously sets  aside  the  judgment  of  all  the  Ancient  Doctors 
of  the  Church,  unhesitatingly  dismisses  the  necessity  of 
agreement  even  of  the  whole  Church  at  this  day,  and 
proudly  taking  to  herself  the  exclusive  title  of  Catholic, 
sits  alone,  a  Queen  in  the  midst  of  the  earth,  and  dis- 
penses her  decrees  from  herself.  No,  my  lord  !  they  ill 
understand  the  character  of  Rome,  or  their  own  strength, 
who  think  that  she  would  really  commit  herself,  as  Cran- 
mer  did,  to  Christian  Antiquity,  or  who  would  not  gladly 
brin*  her  to  that  test !  What  need  has  she  of  Antiquity 
who  is  herself  infallible,  except  to  allure  mankind  to  be- 
lieve her  so  ? 

So  much  for  Tractarianism  by  a  Tractarian 


302  HISTOKY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

REFORMED  PRESBYTERIANS,  OR  COVENANTERS, 

THIS  denomination  of  Christians  take  their  name  from 
the  fact  that  "  Covenanting"  has  been  a  prominent  event 
and  characteristic  of  their  past  history.  They  derive  their 
origin  from  the  Reformed  Church  of  Scotland ;  their  mem- 
bers having  united  with  others  in  signing  the  "  National 
Covenant  of  Scotland,"  and  subsequently  the  "  Solemn 
League  and  Covenant,"  which  Protestants  in  England, 
Scotland,  arid  Ireland  framed  and  signed  in  1643,  which 
exerted  an  important  influence  in  overturning  the  throne 
of  the  Stuarts,  and  in  bringing  about  the  execution  of 
Charles  I. 

During  the  eighteenth  century  a  few  members  of  this 
sect  emigrated  from  time  to  time  from  Scotland  to  this 
country.  At  length  in  1752,  Rev.  Mr.  Cuthbertson  was 
sent  by  the  Reformed  Presbytery  of  Scotland  to  visit 
these  scattered  members,  and  to  ascertain  their  religious 
and  social  condition.  He  traveled  and  preached  through- 
out the  colonies  with  great  zeal  during  twenty  years  ;  and 
in  1774,  Messrs.  Linn  and  Dobbin  were  sent  to  assist  him. 
These  three  clergymen,  and  their  ruling  elders,  organized 
themselves  into  a  regular  presbytery.  With  the  progress 
of  time  the  members  of  the  sect  increased,  and  additional 
ministers  were  sent  over  to  supply  their  spiritual  wants. 
In  1799  a  constitution  was  adopted,  and  various  measures 
were  taken  to  give  organization  and  solidity  to  the  denomi- 
nation. Amongst  other  things,  they  took  hold  of  the  sub- 
ject of  slavery  at  an  early  period,  and  in  1800  ordained 
that  no  person  having  any  connection  whatever  with  that 
"peculiar  institution,"  should  be  allowed  to  have  commu- 
nion or  membership  with  them,  under  any  circumstances. 

In  May,  1809,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Presbytery  which 
was  held  in  Philadelphia,  it  was  resolved  to  establish  a 
Synod,  in  consequence  of  the  increase  of  members  ani 
preachers ;  and  the  Rev.  William  Gibson,  being  the  senior 
minister,  officiated  in  organizing  and  recognizing  tha 
*<  Synod  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in  Ame- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  803 

rica."  Several  years  previous  to  this  step,  the  Presbytery 
had  issued  a  document  termed  the  "  Testimony  of  the 
Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  United  States," 
which  set  forth  their  doctrines  and  opinions  at  length. 

The  most  remarkable  peculiarity  of  this  denomination 
is  that  they  refuse  to  support  the  Constitution  and  Govern- 
ment of  the  United  States,  and  condemn  them  as  opposed  to 
religion,  as  impious  and  detestable.  They  contend  that  no 
Christian  ought  to  countenance  any  government  which 
does  not  recognize  the  supreme  authority  of  Jesus  Christ, 
and  acknowledge  allegiance  to  him.  They  hold  that  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States,  and  the  Constitutions 
of  the  several  States,  ought  directly  and  distinctly  to 
introduce  this  topic,  and  to  admit  this  principle — else  in 
default  thereof,  they  do  not  deserve  the  support  or  appro- 
val of  Christians.  To  our  blind  and  dumb  vision  this 
seems  a  most  absurd  doctrine,  for  this  reason  :  Men  should 
consider  what  the  intention  of  such  a  thing  as  a  political 
constitution  is.  If  it  be  to  proclaim  religious  truth,  it  is 
proper  that  due  prominence  should  be  given  to  that,  and 
to  the  claims  of  Christianity  and  its  founder.  If  its  in- 
tention, however,  be  to  assert  and  define  the  various 
political  rights,  duties,  relations,  and  obligations  of  men, 
it  has  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  religious  principles. 
This  sect  might  just  as  reasonably  require  that  the  decla- 
ration which  the  National  Convention  of  Dentists  annually 
puts  forth,  should  contain  a  recognition  of  the  truths  of 
Christianity,  and  other  religious  dogmas,  in  order  to 
secure  the  approval  of  Christians,  as  they  have  to  require 
the  same  thing  in  a  political  document,  issued  by  an 
assemblage  of  politicians,  convened  for  a  purely  secular 
and  political  purpose. 

The  Covenanters,  or  Reformed  Presbyterians,  wholly 
condemn  the  Constitution  and  Government  of  the  United 
States,  on  a  variety  of  grounds.  They  begin  by  laying 
down  a  principle  which  is  true ;  but  they  deduce  from  it 
(what  we  regard  as)  unjustifiable  conclusions.  That  prin- 
ciple is  that,  when  immorality  and  impiety  are  made 


304  HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

essential  to  any  political  system,  the  whole  system  should 
be  unconditionally  condemned.  Yet  this  premise  involves 
an  error ;  because,  according  to  it,  the  whole  Jewish  sys- 
tem of  doctrine  and  belief,  as  contained  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment, should  be  condemned  and  utterly  repudiated,  be- 
cause that  system  contained  some  essential  features  which 
were  wrong  and  censurable,  and  which  Christ  himself 
subsequently  abrogated. 

Reformed  Presbyterians  proceed  to  denounce  the  Fed- 
eral Constitution  of  the  United  States  on  the  following 
grounds :  They  condemn  the  preamble,  because  it  does 
not  recognize  the  glory  of  G-od  as  the  great  end  in  the 
establishment  of  civil  governments ;  and  because  it  does 
not  propose  to  secure  alike  liberty  to  all  the  inhabitants 
of  the  land.  They  condemn  the  first  article,  because  it 
makes  a  distinction  between  persons  called  "free"  and 
"all  other  persons;"  because,  as  they  think,  it  legalizes 
the  slave  trade;  because,  among  the  qualifications  re- 
quired for  public  officers,  no  notice  is  taken  of  religious 
merits,  of  the  piety  and  moral  excellence  of  the  appli- 
cants. They  object  to  the  second  article,  because  the 
mode  prescribed  for  inducting  persons  into  office  is  not 
adapted  to  give  glory  to  God,  inasmuch  as  they  swear  or 
affirm,  without  any  allusion  to  God's  law  and  authority. 
They  also  condemn  the  pardoning  power,  as  applied  to 
murderers,  allowed  by  this  article ;  and  the  fourth  article 
they  denounce,  as  calculated  to  make  them  partakers  of 
other  men's  sins,  or  at  least  encouraging  and  favoring 
them.  They  also  object  to  restoring  fugitive  servants  or 
slaves,  and  to  making  any  human  law  the  "supreme"  law 
of  the  land.  This  they  regard  as  impious  in  the  extreme, 
an  offence  for  which  there  is  and  can  be  no  excuse. 

These  are  the  chief  grounds  on  which  the  Reformed 
Presbyterians  refuse  to  acknowledge  the  authority  of  the 
Federal  Constitution,  and  even  of  the  State  Governments. 
They  hold  no  political  offices  on  this  account,  and  the 
emotion  of  patriotism  seems  to  be  extinct  within  them. 
The  "stars  and  stripes"  and  the  most  glorious  reminis- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  305 

cences  of  Revolutionary  days  excite  no  enthusiasm  in 
their  breasts.  Another  prominent  peculiarity  of  this  de- 
nomination is,  that  in  public  worship  they  sing  nothing 
but  David's  Psalms,  translated  into  English.  They  regard 
it  as  impious  and  idolatrous  to  sing  any  other  kind  of 
hymns ;  and  they  condemn  not  only  all  instrumental 
music,  such  as  organs  and  violins,  but  even  choirs,  as 
being  abominable  in  the  eyes  of  God  and  disgusting  to 
Him.  We  never  could  account  for  the  inconsistency 
which  this  opinion  appears  to  involve,  because  David,  in 
the  very  Psalms  which  these  people  insist  so  much  on 
singing,  expressly  says,  "  Praise  Him  (God)  with  stringed 
instruments  and  organs"  (Ps.  cl.  4.)  And  yet  there  is 
not  a  "Reformed  Presbyterian"  Church  in  the  United 
States  from  which,  if  a  fiddle  or  organ  were  introduced 
into  it,  the  congregation  would  not  rush  out  in  holy  horror 
and  detestation.  Some  of  the  peculiarities  of  this  deno- 
mination led  to  a  great  split  among  them  in  1830.  Rev. 
Dr.  Wylie  and  a  few  other  prominent  clergymen  endea- 
vored to  effect  a  change  in  the  existing  opinions  of  the 
members  and  the  preachers,  especially  with  reference  to 
the  prevalent  views  of  the  government  and  Constitution 
of  the  United  States.  Their  efforts  were  unavailing, 
and  the  result  was  that  the  innovators  were  suspended 
from  the  exercise  of  the  ministry.  Six  preachers  and 
five  ruling  elders,  who  were  thus  disciplined,  then 
proceeded  to  form  themselves  into  a  new  sect  and  a 
new  presbytery.  The  seceding  ministers  were  Drs. 
Wylie  and  McMaster,  and  Rev.  Messrs.  McLeod, 
Wilson,  Stuart,  and  J.  McMaster.  They  retained  the 
title  of  Reformed  Presbyterians,  but  entered  into  a 
separate  organization.  The  several  points  on  which 
they  differ  from  those  from  whom  they  seceded  are  as 
follows: — They  do  not  condemn  the  Constitution  and 
Government  of  the  United  States,  and  they  permit  their 
members  to  take  office,  and  to  maintain  all  such  relations 
to  the  civil  society  and  institutions  of  the  United  States 
as  are  not  immoral.  They  believe  that  in  this  government 
20 


30&  HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

there  is  no  apostasy  from  any  religious  covenant  -which 
had  formerly  been  entered  into ;  that  the  defects  of  the 
laws  are  omissions  not  essential  to  the  operations  of  civil 
governments ;  that  a  constitutional  way  is  provided  by 
which  all  defects  in  the  laws  may  be  remedied ;  and  that 
if  Christians  believe  such  defects  to  exist,  it  is  their  duty 
to  mix  in  politics  and  employ  all  their  influence  in  effect- 
ing a  change  in  the  objectionable  features.  In  regard  to 
Psalmody,  or  singing  in  public  worship,  this  denomination, 
while  they  retain  the  use  of  David's  Psalms,  are  not  as 
rigid  in  their  views  about  them,  nor  are  they  as  strict  as 
the  old  branch  in  their  opinions  respecting  the  terms  of 
communion ;  and,  while  in  general  they  practice  "  close 
communion,"  admitting  none  but  their  own  members  to 
the  Lord's  table  with  them,  they  entertain  a  more  liberal 
feeling  toward  other  Christians. 

Reformed  Presbyterians,  in  this  country,  have  about 
forty  ministers,  fifty  congregations,  and  eight  thousand 
communicants.  They  have  a  theological  seminary  at 
Cincinnati,  and  several  religious  and  theological  maga- 
zines, such  as  the  "  Reformed  Presbyterian,"  and  the 
"  Covenanter."  Of  all  the  various  branches  of  the  great 
Presbyterian  family,  this  denomination  may  be  regarded 
as  one  of  the  most  conservative,  the  most  resolutely  hos- 
tile to  all  change,  and  to  any  departure  from  the  "  old 
paths." 

CHURCH  OF  GOD,  OE  WINEBRENNERIANS. 

THIS  sect  arose  about  the  year  1825  in  Dauphin  county, 
Pennsylvania,  through  the  agency  of  Rev.  John  Wine- 
brenner,  a  German  Reformed  preacher,  who,  in  1829, 
settled  in  Harrisburg  as  pastor  of  a  church  of  that  deno- 
mination. At  that  period  those  religious  excitements 
which  are  termed  "revivals"  were  unknown  among  the 
German  churches  in  this  country ;  but  the  preaching  of 
Mr.  Winebrenner  was  calculated  to  introduce  this  novelty 
among  the  several  congregations  in  town  and  country  to 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  307 

whom  he  ministered.  The  consequence  of  this  state  of 
affairs  was,  that  divisions  and  violent  controversies  arose 
in  regard  to  the  propriety  of  these  new  measures ;  and, 
ultimately,  Mr.  W.  and  his  friends  seceded  from  the  Re- 
formed Church,  and  formed  a  denomination  of  their  own< 
These  met  together  in  October,  1830,  at  Harrisburg,  and 
formed  an  association,  consisting  of  six  preachers  and 
s  jme  elders,  and  this  convention  or  assembly  they  called 
the  first  "Eldership."  These  persons  set  forth  their  be- 
lief that  there  is  but  one  true  Christian  church;  that 
Christians  ought  not  to  be  designated  by  any  sectarian  or 
human  name  ;  that  they  should  have  no  creed  or  discipline 
but  the  Bible ;  and  that  they  should  not  be  governed  by 
any  extrinsic  foreign  jurisdiction.  John  Winebrenner  was 
elected  the  first  president,  or  "speaker,"  as  he  was  termed, 
of  this  gathering.  Female  members  of  the  society  were 
allowed  to  vote  in  the  choice  of  church  officers  ;  and  "feet 
washing"  was  declared  to  be  an  observance  which  was  of 
perpetual  obligation  on  all  Christians  until  the  end  of 
time,  according  to  the  declaration  of  Christ,  John  xiii.  14, 
15  :  "  If  I,  then,  your  lord  and  master,  have  washed  your 
feet,  ye  ought  also  to  wash  one  another's  feet ;  for  I  have 
given  you  an  example,  that  ye  should  do  as  I  have  done 
to  you."  They  declared,  also,  that  the  Lord's  Supper 
should  always  be  administered  in  a  sitting  posture,  and 
after  nightfall ;  because  such  was  the  posture,  and  that  the 
time,  which  attended  the  first  observance  of  this  sacrament 
by  Christ  and  the  apostles. 

Among  the  other  peculiarities  of  this  new  sect  was  the 
use  of  fast  days,  experience  meetings,  anxious  meetings, 
protracted  meetings,  and  camp  meetings.  They  condemn 
intemperance  and  the  manufacture  of  ardent  spirits,  sla- 
very, wars,  and  national  conflicts.  They  practice  baptism 
by  immersion,  and  believe  in  the  trinity,  in  a  vicarious 
atonement,  in  man's  free  moral  agency  and  his  ability  to 
repent,  and  that  the  doctrine  of  election  and  reprobation 
has  no  foundation  or  warrant  in  the  Bible.  They  hold  to 
the  idea  of  Christ's  personal  appearaaca  to  judge  tfaa 


308  HISTOKY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

world;  and  that  the  final  resurrection  of  the  good  will 
take  place  at  the  commencement  of  the  millennium,  and 
that  of  the  wicked  at  the  end  of  that  period. 

They  call  their  synods  "  Elderships,"  and  of  these  there 
are  four  in  the  United  States :  the  East  Pennsylvania,  the 
West  Pennsylvania,  the  Ohio,  and  the  Indiana  Elderships. 
These  "  Elderships"  meet  once  a  year,  and  the  "  General 
Eldership"  assembles  once  in  three  years.  A  newspaper 
termed  The  Church  Advocate  is  their  organ,  and  is  pub- 
lished at  Harrisburg ;  its  circulation  is  limited.  This  sect 
may  now  have  about  fifty  preachers,  a  hundred  congre- 
gations, and  eight  thousand  members. 

GERMAN  SEVENTH  DAY  BAPTISTS. 

THIS  denomination  of  Christians  is  one  of  the  most  re- 
markable which  has  ever  existed  in  the  United  States ; 
and  though  they  are  not  numerous,  or  important  in  point 
of  prominence  and  influence,  their  peculiarities  are  such 
as  to  render  them  superior  to  many  other  sects  in  interest. 
Their  remoter  origin  is  to  be  traced  to  the  year  1694,  when 
a  religious  revival  took  place  in  Saxony,  Germany,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  zealous  preaching  of  Spener,  a  distin- 
guished theologian  and  ecclesiastic  of  that  period.  Those 
who  sympathized  with  Spener's  views  were  persecuted  by 
the  members  and  dignitaries  of  the  established  religion, 
and  the  result  was  that  about  the  year  1719  some  of  them 
emigrated  to  this  country  for  the  purpose  of  enjoying  the 
blessings  of  religious  freedom.  Their  leader  was  named 
Alexander  Mack,  and  they  settled  at  Mill  Creek,  in  Penn- 
sylvania. They  had  assumed  the  title  of  "  First  Day 
German  Baptists,"  and  among  their  number  was  one 
Conrad  Peysel,  who  was  destined  afterward  to  act  a  promi- 
nent part  in  the  history  of  the  association. 

Peysel  conceived  the  idea  that  there  was  no  authority 
in  the  Scriptures  for  the  change  of  the  Sabbath  from  the 
seventh  to  the  first  day  of  the  week ;  and  after  some  con- 
troversy with  the  other  members  of  the  denomination,  he 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  300 

withdrew  and  retired  to  a  solitary  cell  on  the  banks  of  a 
stream  of  water  in  the  vicinity,  which  had  once  been  occu- 
pied by  a  hermit  named  Elimelich.  This  occurred  in 
1724 ;  and  as  soon  as  the  place  of  his  retreat  became 
known,  some  of  the  members  of  the  society  at  Mill  Creek, 
who  had  concurred  with  Peysel  in  his  opinions  in  reference 
to  the  Sabbath,  withdrew  from  the  old  community  and 
erected  huts  near  his  cell,  in  order  to  enjoy  his  society  and 
the  benefits  of  his  religious  instructions. 

In  the  course  of  several  years  a  considerable  village 
sprang  up  around  the  habitation  of  the  prayerful  hermit ; 
and  in  1732  they  resolved  to  change  their  solitary  life 
into  a  monastic  one,  by  the  erection  of  large  buildings  in 
which  they  could  more  completely  live  a  life  of  seclusion 
devoted  to  pious  exercises.  They  enclosed  a  spot  of 
ground  to  which  they  gave  the  title  of  "Euphrata,"  and 
commenced  to  erect  a  monastery.  They  adopted  a  "white 
habit,  resembling  that  of  the  Capuchins,  consisting  of  a 
long  gown  and  cowl,  thrown  over  other  garments,  made 
of  woolen  web  in  winter  and  of  linen  in  summer.  A  num- 
ber of  female  members  were  admitted  into  the  association 
who  wore  a  similar  garb,  who  also  assumed  monastic 
names,  and  employed  their  time,  in  a  great  measure,  in 
monastic  exercises. 

In  the  year  1740  there  were  thirty-six  male  brethren 
and  thirty-five  sisters  in  the  cloisters,  and  at  one  time  the 
members  of  the  society  who  resided  in  the  neighborhood 
were  three  hundred.  The  latter  were  married  people, 
whereas  those  who  lived  in  the  cloister  were  single.  No 
monastic  vows  were  required,  and  each  one  was  at  liberty 
to  withdraw  at  any  time  from  the  association ;  but  it  is 
said  that  during  the  lapse  of  a  hundred  years  not  more 
than  five  or  six  of  those  who  had  once  commenced  the 
monastic  life  in  the  cloister  withdrew  from  it  and  married. 
They  maintained  a  community  of  goods,  and  the  society 
was  supported  by  the  profits  of  the  farm  and  the  mills 
which  they  owned,  and  which  were  carried  on  by  their  OWD 
members. 


310  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

The  doctrinal  belief  of  this  sect  was  as  follows :  They 
entertained  the  opinion  that  celibacy  was  a  higher  and 
purer  kind  of  life  than  marriage,  and  that  the  former  ena- 
bled those  who  practiced  it  to  attain  a  greater  degree  of 
holiness  than  the  latter.  In  support  of  this  opinion  they 
quoted  the  express  words  of  Paul :  "  He  that  is  unmarried 
careth  for  the  things  that  belong  to  the  Lord — how  he  may 
please  the  Lord ;  but  he  that  is  married  careth  for  the 
things  of  the  world — how  he  may  please  his  wife.  The 
unmarried  woman  careth  for  the  things  of  the  Lord,  that 
she  may  be  holy  both  in  body  and  in  spirit ;  but  she  that 
is  married  careth  for  the  things  of  the  world — how  she 
may  please  her  husband.  I  say,  therefore,  to  the  unmar- 
ried and  widows,  it  is  good  for  them  if  they  abide  even  as 
I."  According  to  these  teachings  of  the  apostle,  the  fol- 
lowers of  Peysel,  who  occupied  the  monastery  at  Euphrata, 
lived  a  life  of  rigid  celibacy;  and  their  preachers  con- 
tinually dwelt  in  their  exhortations  upon  the  superior 
merit  of  that  state,  and  exhorted  one  another  to  con- 
stancy in  it.  As  soon,  however,  as  any  one  expressed  a 
desire  to  marry,  it  was  allowed  them,  though  they  were 
compelled  to  withdraw  from  the  monastery,  and  reside  in 
the  adjoining  village. 

In  regard  to  other  points  of  their  religious  belief,  this 
sect  hold  to  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  and  to  that  of 
"free  grace,"  asserting  that  Christ  died  to  redeem  all  men, 
and  that  men  possessed  a  freedom  of  the  will  which  ena- 
bled them  at  any  time  to  repent  and  obey  the  demands  of 
the  gospel.  They  practiced  baptism  by  immersion,  and 
celebrated  the  Lord's  Supper  at  night,  washing  each  other's 
feet,  according  to  the  injunction  of  Christ.  (John  xiii. 
14,  15.)  They  considered  it  essential  to  adhere  to  the 
time  and  manner,  and  to  all  the  details  which  marked  the 
first  institution  of  this  sacrament  by  Christ.  The  Sabbath 
they  carefully  observed  on  Saturday  instead  of  the  first 
day  of  the  week  ;  and  in  defence  of  this  usage  they  urged 
many  plausible  arguments  against  the  unauthorized  change 
of  the  day  from  that  which  was  originally  appointed  by 


HISTORY  OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  811 

the  author  of  the  Sabbath.     They  deny  the  eternity  of 
the  future  punishment  of  the  wicked. 

Such  were  the  leading  features  of  this  remarkable  sect. 
As  might  be  supposed,  their  peculiarities  have  subjected 
them  to  a  vast  amount  of  misrepresentation ;  but  the  truth 
is,  that  a  more  exemplary  and  excellent  association  of 
persons  has  never  existed  in  this  country.  Because  they 
were  few  and  feeble,  and  because  their  doctrine  respecting 
Sunday  militated  against  the  opinions  of  those  in  greater 
power  and  place,  they  have  been  persecuted  by  other  reli- 
gious sects,  which,  under  the  guise  of  the  law  of  the  land, 
have  endeavored  to  ruin  them  for  not  observing  the  preva- 
lent Sunday  as  a  Sabbath.  Attempts  have  also  been  made 
to  cheat  them  out  of  their  property.  For  a  long  time 
they  did  not  "resist  evil,"  until  at  length,  when  their 
wrongs  became  too  outrageous  and  infamous  to  be  longer 
borne,  they  appealed  to  the  Legislature  of  the  State.  The 
Legislature  refused  them  any  relief.  Afterward  they  ap- 
pealed to  the  Supreme  Court,  which  eventually  rendered 
a  decision  which  shielded  them  in  a  great  measure  from 
further  imposition  and  outrage.  At  the  present  time  we 
believe  that  the  monastery  at  Euphrata  is  not  used  for  its 
original  purpose ;  but  many  descendants  of  the  earlier 
members  of  the  Seventh  Day  Baptist  Church  still  survive 
in  the  village,  thus  keeping  alive  the  memory  of  the  ob- 
scure and  unobtrusive  virtues  of  one  of  the  most  praise- 
worthy, though  singular,  of  modern  religious  sects. 

THE  PROGRESSIVE  FRIENDS. 

THE  religious  community  who  are  known  by  the  title  of 
"Progressive  Friends,"  derive  their  origin  chiefly  from 
the  Quakers.  That  society  had  been  for  some  years  dis- 
turbed by  disputes  and  differences  in  regard  to  some  im- 
portant points  of  doctrine.  Many  of  its  members  believed 
that  a  tone  of  domination  and  authority  had  arisen  in  the 
sect,  which  was  at  variance  with  the  spirit  of  primitive 
Quakerism,  which  aimed  at  the  suppression  of  free  thought, 


812  HISTORY  OP  ALL   RELIGIONS. 

and  resisted  all  attempts  at  progress  or  development, 
The  result  of  this  state  of  things  was  that,  in  New  York, 
Ohio,  and  Michigan,  various  secessions  took  place  from 
the  Quaker  community,  and  the  persons  who  thus  with- 
drew formed  themselves  into  a  new  association,  under  the 
title  of  Congregational  Friends. 

In  May,  1853,  a  similar  movement  took  place  in  Penn- 
sylvania, which  was  produced  by  similar  causes.  On  the 
22d  of  that  month  an  assemblage  was  held  at  Old  Ken- 
nett,  in  Chester  county,  composed  of  those  members  of 
the  Society  of  Friends  who  were  in  favor  of  progress,  and 
of  separating  religion  from  technical  and  dead  theology. 
These  persons,  however,  did  not  exclude  from  their  asso- 
ciation any  who  had  been  members  of  other  sects,  or  who 
were  members  of  no  sect,  who  agreed  with  them  in  their 
opinions  ;  and  all  were  welcome  who,  being  moral  in  their 
lives,  sympathized  with  the  professed  aims  and  purposes 
of  the  convocation. 

In  answer  to  the  published  call,  a  very  large  number  of 
persons  convened  at  the  time  and  place  appointed.  The 
meeting  was  organized  and  officers  selected.  There  were 
delegates  present  from  a  number  of  the  Eastern  and 
Western  States.  Testimonies  or  reports  were  read  in 
reference  to  the  most  prominent  evils  and  social  crimes  of 
the  day.  Thus  a  distinctive  form  was  given  to  the  views 
entertained  by  those  present,  and  those  whom  they  repre- 
sented ;  and  the  Pennsylvania  yearly  meeting  of  Pro- 
gressive Friends  was,  after  a  session  of  several  days,  duly 
organized  and  concluded.  From  that  period  till  the  pre- 
sent, yearly  meetings  have  been  regularly  held  in  May  of 
each  year,  and  an  increase  of  numbers  and  of  interest 
would  seem  to  indicate  that  a  marked  progress  has  thus 
far  characterized  the  existence  of  this  religious  community. 

The  various  orthodox  sects  have  regarded  and  still  re- 
gard the  Progressive  Friends  with  great  apprehension  and 
some  horror ;  stigmatizing  them  as  persons  who,  under  the 
disguise  of  religion,  and  as  seekers  after  truth,  are  en- 
gaged in  diffusing  the  most  rank  and  ravenous  infidelity. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  313 


That  the  reader  may  judge  for  himself  how  true  or 
false  this  accusation  is,  we  will  set  forth  the  prominent 
opinions  entertained  by  this  sect,  as  avowed  in  their  pub- 
lished testimonies  and  other  authorized  documents. 

I.  And  first,  of  their  views  of  Physical  Reforms.     At 
their  meetings,  from  time  to  time,  some  of  their  testimo- 
nies refer  to  the  "  Deleterious  Effects  of  Tobacco."    They 
condemn  the  use  of  this  popular  weed  on  the  ground  that 
it  occasions  a  great  waste  of  money,  and  produces  the 
most  injurious  effects  on  health,  and  leads  to  a  want  of 
cleanliness   of  person.     Instances  were   adduced   where 
children,  who  had  been  induced  to  taste  tobacco,  expired 
in  convulsions.     The  various  results  which  follow  the  use 
of  this  article  were  cited  —  the  gradual  decay  of  health, 
the  gradual  enervation  of  the  mind,   stupor,   headache, 
tremors,    prostration,   coma.      They   assert   that   in   the 
United  States  alone  twenty  thousand  persons  die  annually 
of  diseases  directly  produced  by  the  use  of  tobacco.     They 
also  condemn  it  because  it  tends  to  the  use  of  alcoholic 
drinks,  and  in  various  ways  deteriorates  and  degrades 
humanity. 

II.  Another  important  question  with  the  Progressive 
Friends  is  the  treatment  which  the  Indians  of  our  country 
have  received  from  the  nation.     These  unfortunate  people 
are  regarded  as  the  victims  of  a  selfish  and  cruel  spirit, 
which  has  for  several  generations  promoted  national  and 
personal  aggrandizement  at  the  expense  of  the  rights  of 
the  weak  and  the  defenceless.     They  hold  that  in   all 
those  cases  where  the  Indians  have  been  treated  with  hu- 
manity, they  have  reciprocated  with  a  friendly  feeling, 
but  that  one  of  the  blackest  pages  in  the  history  of  our 
country  is  the  long  array  of  persecutions  and  wrongs 
which  these  people  have  suffered.     Every  humane  heart 
must  approve  of  the  sentiments  expressed  by  the  Pro- 
gressive Friends  on  this  subject,  for  it  would  be  difficult 
to  excuse,  on  any  ground  of  religion  or  human  justice,  the 
innumerable  outrages  which  the  white  man  has  inflicted 
upon  the  aborigines  of  this  country  and  their  descendants. 


314  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

III.  But  the  most  vehement  and  earnest  testimony  of 
Progressive  Friends  is  against  Southern  Slavery.     This 
they  regard  as  the  great  social  and  political  evil  of  the 
day.     They  contend  that  the  holding  of  a  human  being  as 
property  is  a  crime  against  God  and  against  humanity ; 
that  every  bondman  in  the  land  is  entitled  to  full  and 
unrestricted  liberty  ;  and  they  demand  that  these  inalien- 
able, but  plundered  rights,  shall  be  immediately  and  uni- 
versally restored.     They  denounce  the  Supreme  Court  of 
the  United  States,  because  they  have  proclaimed  the  doc- 
trine that  persons  of  African  descent,  or  whose  descent  is 
even  partly  African,  cannot  enjoy  or  claim  the  rights  oi 
citizenship  under  any  circumstances.     They  assert  that 
neither  of  the  great  political  parties  which  now  exist  in 
this  country  is  entitled  to  their  support,  because  the  one 
(the  Democratic)  is  the  avowed  protector  and  partisan  of 
the  institutions  of  the  Southern  States,  while  the  other 
(the  Republican)  merely  compounds  with  the  felony,  takes 
half-way  ground,  and  endeavors  to  "  carry  water  on  both 
shoulders."     They  also  condemn  the  popular  and  more 
prevalent  churches  of  the  country,  because  they  are  in 
fact  the  bulwarks  of  the  sin,  defending  it  on  the  ground 
of  religion   and   the    Scriptures.      They   stigmatize    the 
American  Tract  Society,  because,  while  it  rebukes  with 
great  outcry  and  clamor  such  harmless  indulgences   as 
sleeping  in  church,  dancing,  and  attending  theatres,  re- 
fuses to  say  a  word  in  regard  to  a  colossal  crime  which 
outrages  the  most  valued  rights  of  three  millions  of  hu- 
man beings.     The  same  objection  they  make  to  the  Ame- 
rican Bible  Society,  which  refuses  to  distribute  the  Bible 
among  the  slaves,  and  uses  its  influence  to  discountenance 
agitation  on  the  subject  of  slavery.     In  all  its  bearings 
the  Progressive  Friends  condemn  the  "  peculiar  institu- 
tion" as  an  unmitigated  sin  and  curse. 

IV.  The  question  of  Women's  Rights  is  an  important 
one  with  this  sect.    They  contend  that  women  are  entitled 
to  an  equal  voice  with  men  in  making  and  administering 
the  laws ;  that  they  are  entitled  to  equal  rights  in  regard 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  KELIGIONS.          315 

to  the  use  and  possession  of  property ;  and  that  the  doc- 
trine of  the  mental  inferiority  of  women  to  men  is  erro- 
neous and  absurd.  They  denounce  the  tyranny  of  hus- 
bands over  wives,  and  condemn  the  outrages  which  the 
existing  laws  enable  the  former  to  inflict  upon  the  latter 
with  impunity.  In  order  to  prepare  women  to  exercise 
their  rights  with  prudence  and  success,  they  contend  that 
such  an  education  should  be  given  to  women  as  will  fit 
them  for  that  end  and  duty. 

Under  the  head  of  women's  rights  comes  the  important 
question  of  marriage  and  divorce.  The  Progressive  Friends 
hold  that  marriage  is  simply  a  civil  contract,  and  nothing 
more.  Hence  they  believe  that  divorces  are  justifiable 
whenever  any  of  the  essential  ingredients  or  elements  of 
the  marriage  contract  are  violated  by  either  party.  Thus 
they  think  that  divorces  are  justifiable  for  desertion,  for 
abusive  treatment,  for  habitual  neglect,  and  for  all  the 
other  causes  which  the  law  of  the  land — the  protector  of 
civil  rights  and  the  punisher  of  civil  wrongs — may  permit 
and  allow.  This  opinion  is  at  variance  with  the  Orthodox 
Church  doctrine,  which  generally  (though  not  always) 
inculcates  that  Christ  intended  to  restrict  divorces  to  cases 
of  adultery  alone.  Progressive  Friends  condemn  the  idea 
that  marriage  is  a  sacramental  rite  invested  with  a  priestly 
sanctity,  or  deriving  any  virtue  whatever  from  priestly 
benediction.  In  a  word,  they  leave  the  question  of  mar- 
riage and  divorce  entirely  with  the  law  of  the  land ;  yet 
they  do  not  countenance  the  careless  or  unnecessary  disso- 
lution of  the  marriage  tie,  because  that  extreme  leads  to 
pernicious  social  and  domestic  evils.  To  justify  divorces 
for  desertion  they  quote  Paul,  in  1  Corinthians  vii.  12-15. 

V.  Another  point  concerning  which  Progressive  Friends 
have  sent  forth  their  testimony,  and  have  taken  decided 
ground,  is  war,  both  offensive  and  defensive.  They  denj 
that  human  liberty  has  ever  been  really  promoted  by  con 
flicts  ;  and  while  they  do  not  approve  of  submitting  to  the 
burdens  and  exactions  of  tyranny  with  a  servile  and  cow- 
ardly spirit,  they  think  it  is  still  worse  to  resist  them  by 


816  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

bloody  means.  Rather  submit  with  the  spirit  of  meek- 
ness, and  while  protesting  against  tyranny  in  the  cause  of 
humanity,  refrain  from  all  retaliation  and  violence.  That 
is  the  highest  display  of  courage,  the  noblest  exhibition 
of  heroism  of  character.  They  commend  the  teachings 
of  the  New  Testament :  "  Overcome  evil  with  good ;  re- 
compense no  man  evil  for  evil ;  love  your  enemies ;  bless 
them  that  curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you,  and 
pray  for  them  that  despitefully  use  you  and  persecute 
you." 

VI.  The  opinions  of  Progressive  Friends  are  decided 
on  the  subject  of  Temperance.     They  are  in  favor  of  total 
abstinence  from  the  use  of  intoxicating  drinks  as  a  beve- 
rage, as  the  only  effectual  safeguard  against  the  evils  of 
drunkenness,     They  also  hold,  that  the  adoption  of  penal 
laws  against  the  sale  of  liquors  is  not  as  effectual  in  sup- 
pressing this  vice  as  the  use  of  moral  suasion ;  and  that 
the  drunkard  himself  is  much  more  effectually  reached 
and  reformed  by  those  means  than  by  the  terrors  of  the 
penalties  of  the  law. 

VII.  The  Progressives  also  condemn  capital  punishment 
for  crime  as  a  relic  of  a  barbarous  age,  as  originating  in 
a  spirit  of  revenge,  and  as  tending  to  increase  the  evils  it 
professes  to  remedy.     They  hold  that  the  chief  intention 
of  all  punishment  should  be  to  reform  and  elevate  the 
offender ;  and  that  the  death  penalty  accomplishes  neither 
of  these  results.     They  also  condemn  the  recent  revival 
which  has  taken  place  throughout  a  portion  of  the  country, 
on  the  ground  that  it  is  a  revival  of  the  prevalent  and 
popular  religion,  which  they  believe  to  be  full  of  errors 
and  perversions  ;  the  revival  of  that  religion  which  sanc- 
tions war,   slavery,  sectarian   exclusiveness,   priestcraft, 
superstition,  and  hypocrisy. 

The  Progressive  Friends,  in  establishing  their  new 
society,  appointed  no  forms  or  ceremonies  as  the  peculiar 
badges  of  their  association.  Nor  did  they  adopt  any  par- 
ticular creed  as  containing  a  system  of  dogmas  to  which 
those  who  associated  with  them  were  compelled  to  adhere. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  317 

Though  they  set  forth,  as  we  have  stated,  those  chief 
points  on  which  the  majority  of  them  seemed  to  agree,  yet 
all  were  allowed  the  most  complete  liberty  in  the  senti- 
ments which  they  espoused.  Creed-making  was  not  among 
the  purposes  of  the  association.  Pure  Christianity,  with- 
out any  human  alloy,  was  the  boon  after  which  they  pro- 
fessed to  search.  The  terms  of  membership  were  confined 
to  morality  of  life  and  general  sympathy  in  behalf  of  in- 
tellectual freedom  on  the  part  of  those  who  join  them. 
The  most  prominent  persons  who  have  identified  them- 
selves with  this  movement  are  Oliver  Johnson,  Charles  C. 
Burleigh,  S.  P.  Curtis,  J.  A.  Dugdale,  Joshua  R.  Gid- 
dings,  William  Lloyd  Garrison,  James  F.  Clarke,  and 
Theodore  Parker. 

As  might-  be  anticipated,  the  Progressives  reject  the 
doctrines  of  the  Trinity,  a  vicarious  atonement,  the  neces- 
sity of  forms,  ordinances,  and  ceremonies,  the  efficacy  of 
a  priesthood,  and  the  eternity  of  the  future  torments  of 
the  wicked.  They  believe  in  the  entire  spirituality  of 
Christianity,  and  in  the  idea  that  virtue  and  vice,  religion 
and  sin,  constitute  their  own  reward,  and  confer  happiness 
or  inflict  misery  of  themselves,  both  in  this  world  and  in 
that  which  is  to  come.  They  admit  the  truth  of  no  dogma, 
the  inherent  nature  of  which  outrages  reason  or  contra- 
dicts reason,  and  which  must  be  accepted  and  entertained 
by  a  constant  process  of  ignoring  and  stultifying  that 
standard  of  human  knowledge  and  consciousness  which  is 
the  admitted  and  indispensable  organ  and  medium  of 
mental  and  moral  apprehension  in  all  other  things — com- 
mon sense.  Guided  by  this  standard,  they  reject  the 
popular  idea  of  the  nature  of  the  Supreme  Being,  by 
which  He  is  made,  as  they  think,  a  cruel,  revengeful, 
changeable,  and  short-sighted  being,  imperfect  in  his  power, 
in  his  wisdom,  in  his  justice,  and  in  all  the  other  attributes 
of  his  character. 


318  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

COPTS. 

THE  Copts  are  a  sect  comprising  most  of  the  Chris 
tian  population  in  Egypt,  and  the  valley  of  the  Nile. 
They  claim  lineal  descent  from  that  ancient  people  who 
inhabited  Egypt  in  the  time  of  the  Ptolemies,  and  hold 
that  their  Christian  Kitual  is  the  most  ancient  of  any  in 
existence.  In  their  list  of  saints,  is  included  one  of 
the  Evangelists ;  and  the  monks  of  one  of  their  con- 
vents claim  to  be  in  possession  of  the  remains  of  St. 
Mark,  who  was  martyred  in  Alexandria. 

Though  they  have,  to  some  extent,  intermarried  and 
become  mixed  with  other  races  and  tribes,  they  have 
maintained  great  distinctness  of  race  and  character,  and 
take  great  pride  in  their  origin,  and  the  purity  of  their 
descent.  Intermarriage  with  other  Egyptian  races  is 
prohibited  by  ecclesiastical  law.  The  Copts  are  better 
educated,  and  are,  in  many  respects,  superior  to  the  Mos- 
lem Arabs.  They  were  at  one  time  a  numerous  and  in- 
fluential people;  but  from  the  millions  who  once  ad- 
hered to  the  Coptic  faith,  and  who,  according  to  legend, 
had  three  hundred  and  thirty-six  convents,  they  have 
diminished  in  numbers  to  such  an  extent,  that  it  is  com- 
puted they  have  now,  in  all  Egypt,  not  more  than 
150,000  members. 

The  Coptic  church  has  five  orders  of  active  and  sec- 
ular clergy,  besides  the  monks.  The  head  of  the  church 
is  the  Patriarch  of  Alexandria,  whose  residence  is  in 
the  city  of  Cairo.  Some  eight  or  ten  monks  are  named 
by  the  Superior  of  the  Convent  of  St.  Anthony,  near 
the  gulf  of  Suez,  and  from  that  list  the  Patriarch  is 
selected  by  lot,  and  holds  his  office  for  life.  His  author- 
ity in  the  church  is  nearly  absolute.  Next  to  him  are 
the  twelve  bishops,  who  are  chosen  from  the  convents. 
The  Patriarch  and  bishop  are  not  allowed  to  marry. 
The  arch-priests  are  next  in  order ;  then  the  priests ; 
and  fifth  in  order  is  the  deacon  or  incipient  priest. 
The  Copts  are  zealously  devoted  to  their  ecclesiastical 


HISTORY  OF   ALL  EELIGIONS.  319 

forms  and  system,  and  regard  the  communions  of  Greece 
and  Eome  as  heretical.  The  Coptic  creed  is  that  of  the 
Monophysites,  who  were  condemned  as  heretics  at  the 
council  of  Chalcedon,  in  the  year  451.  They  do  not 
admit  the  doctrine  of  two  natures  in  Christ,  but  be- 
lieve that  after  the  incarnation  he  possessed  but  a  single 
nature  and  a  single  will ;  and  they  believe  the  Holy 
Spirit  proceeds  from  the  Father  alone.  They  baptize 
by  dipping  the  child  three  times  into  water  which  con- 
tains a  few  drops  of  consecrated  oil.  They  believe  a 
child  who  dies  without  being  baptized,  will  be  blind  in 
the  next  world.  Like  the  Jews,  they  practice  circumci- 
sion, and  are  similar  to  them  also  in  their  customs  re- 
specting food.  A  form  of  communion  is  observed  by 
them,  and  the  confessional  is  regarded  as  important  as 
it  is  with  the  Catholics.  They  use  the  rosary,  which 
contains  forty-one  beads,  and  are  very  strict  in  their  at- 
tention to  daily  prayer.  Seven  times  a  day  they  turn 
to  the  east,  and  repeat  forty-one  times  their  supplication 
for  the  Lord's  mercy.  The  Coptic  church  has  four 
compartments.  The  chancel,  or  heykel,  occupies  the 
extreme  end  from  the  doorway;  next  to  that,  is  the 
post  occupied  by  the  priests,  who  interpret ;  between 
the  last-named  and  the  main  apartment,  occupied  by  the 
congregation,  there  is  a  high  lattice-work,  in  which 
there  are  three  doors  ;  the  fourth  apartment  is  separated 
from  the  third  by  a  lattice  partition,  and  is  occupied  by 
the  women,  who  always  wear  their  veils  during  wor- 
ship. On  entering  the  church,  each  person  must  re- 
move his  shoes,  and  go  and  kneel  before  the  cross.  The 
public  services  usually  occupy  several  hours,  and  con- 
sist of  various  forms  from  their  ritual,  accompanied  by 
chantings,  burning  of  incense,  processions  around  the 
church,  beating  of  cymbals,  etc.  The  service  within 
the  heykel,  or  sanctuary,  is  from  their  liturgies,  in  the 
Coptic  tongue,  and  is  interpreted  by  the  priests  in  Ara- 
bic to  the  congregation.  Their  days  of  entire  or  par- 
tial fasting,  comprise  about  one-half  the  year,  Their 


320  HISTOEY  OF  ALL   KELIGIONS. 

festivals  also  are  numerous,  while  they  commemorate, 
with  special  attention,  those  of  the  nativity,  the  bap- 
tism, the  triumphal  entry,  the  resurrection,  the  ascen- 
sion, the  Pentecost  miracle,  and  the  annunciation  to  the 
Virgin. 

The  Copts  have  a  convent  in  the  city  of  Jerusalem, 
and  a  chapel  in  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre. 
Manuscripts  from  their  convents  have  been  obtained, 
dating  back  as  far  as  the  fifth  century.  In  the  early 
centuries  of  the  Christian  era,  the  Copts  had  great  in- 
fluence in  establishing  the  doctrines  of  faith,  and  the 
names  of  many  of  their  patriarchs  are  commemorated 
in  the  Greek  and  Eoman  calendars.  Their  patriarch 
was  then  a  rival  of  the  Eoman  bishop.  From  the  time 
of  the  Mohammedan  conquest,  down  to  the  reign  of 
Mehemet  Ali,  they  were  subject  to  great  persecution 
and  oppression.  But  through  all  their  trials,  they  have 
maintained  the  distinctness  of  their  race  and  reli- 
gion ;  and  though  but  little  elevated  above  the  Moslem 
Arabs  in  their  habits  and  modes  of  life,  they  claim  a 
common  origin  of  faith  with  other  Christians,  and  ex- 
tend the  mendicant's  hand,  for  fellowship  and  charity, 
from  their  more.. fortunate  Christian  brethren  of  other 
countries. 

CHRISTIAN  CONNECTION. 

THIS  denomination  was  formed  in  the  United  States, 
about  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century,  and 
seems  to  have  developed  from  a  simultaneous  move- 
ment, in  distinct  and  remote  parts  of  the  country.  By 
some,  they  have  been  called  Christ-ians,  a  pronunciation 
of  the  name  which  they  have  never  adopted,  and  which 
they  regard  as  very  improper.  Among  themselves,  they 
are  known  simply  as  Christians,  or  as  the  Christian  Con- 
nection. 

In  1793,  a  movement  was  made  in  North  Carolina, 
known  as  the  "  O'Kelley  Secession,"  from  the  Methodis* 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  321 

Episcopal  Church,  which  resulted  in  the  formation  of 
a  new  church,  called  Christians,  and  which  recognized 
no  other  code  of  doctrine  or  discipline,  except  the  New 
Testament.  A  few  years  later,  a  similar  movement  was 
made  in  Kentucky,  by  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church ;  and  the  seceders  there  organized  under  the 
same  name.  About  the  same  time,  the  northern  branch 
of  this  denomination  sprung  up  in  New  England,  being 
organized  mainly  by  those  who  separated  from  the 
Baptists.  Thus,  unknown  to  each  other,  the  seceders 
from  several  existing  denominations,  became  organized 
in  their  several  localities,  under  the  same  name — Chris- 
tians. Though  several  eminent  persons  were  instru- 
mental in  the  development  of  the  society,  they  recog- 
nize no  individual  as  their  leader.  They  point  to  the 
New  Testament  as  their  only  creed  or  code  of  doctrine, 
and  to  Christ  as  the  great  Founder,  and  leave  all  to 
judge  for  themselves  of  the  requirements  of  true  apos- 
tolic Christianity.  There  is  considerable  diversity  of 
opinion  among  them  upon  many  of  the  minor  doctrinal 
points  in  theology.  This  would  naturallv  result  from 
two  causes ;  first,  their  origin  as  seceders  from  different 
denominations ;  and  second,  from  the  great  latitude 
which  they  allow  and  teach,  that  all  Christians  should 
enjoy  universal  toleration,  being  guided  only  by  the 
Scriptures  as  a  rule  of  faith  and  duty,  instead  of  the 
forms  and  creeds  established  and  adopted  by  men. 

Each  church,  or  society,  is  independent,  and  keeps  a 
record  of  its  actions  and  affairs — makes  choice  of  its 
minister,  and  in  every  respect  has  the  management  of 
its  own  concerns.  There  is,  however,  a  "connection" 
between  the  several  churches  comprised  within  a  cer- 
tain district,  by  means  of  what  is  termed  an  annual 
conference.  At  these  sessions,  the  ministers  and  church 
delegates  are  associated  together  for  the  purpose  of 
conferring  upon  matters  of  mutual  interest,  transacting 
such  business  as  their  common  good  may  require,  and 
acting  as  advisory  councils  in  matters  of  difficulty. 


322  HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

Although  there  is  a  diversity  of  belief  among  the  mem- 
bers on  many  points  of  faith,  there  is  yet  an  approx- 
imation to  uniformity  sufficient  to  secure  concert  of 
action.  The  following  are  some  of  the  leading  doc- 
trines which  meet  their  general  approval,  and  which 
embody  the  more  important  points  upon  which  they 
agree : 

That  there  is  one  perfect  and  infinite  God ;  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  Son  of  God  in  the  highest  sense ;  that  the 
Scriptures,  including  the  Old  and  New  Testaments, 
were  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  that  they  should 
constitute  our  rule  of  faith  and  practice ;  that  all  men 
are  guilty  of  sin,  and  can  find  pardon  only  through  re- 
pentance, and  faith  in  Jesus  Christ ;  that  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  Christians  are  comforted,  and  sinners  reproved ; 
and  that  the  way  of  salvation  is  freely  open  to  all  who 
will  repent  of  their  sins,  and  come  to  Christ ;  that  God 
calls  men  to  the  ministry  by  his  Holy  Spirit ;  that  those 
who  "  fall  from  grace,"  as  well  as  those  who  have  never 
repented,  will  be  lost.  They  observe  the  Lord's  Supper, 
and  baptize  by  immersion.  They  believe  in  the  literal 
resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  that  the  righteous  will 
pass  into  everlasting  happiness,  and  the  wicked  into 
everlasting  misery.  Although  they  believe  in  the  pre- 
existence  and  Sonship  of  Christ,  they  are  Unitarian  in 
their  views  of  Deity. 

This  denomination  has  not  been  indifferent  to  the 
cause  of  education,  nor  the  influence  of  the  press.  They 
have  several  weekly  papers  in  different  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, and  a  "book  concern"  in  Albany,  New  York. 
Among  their  institutions  of  learning,  the  most  prom- 
inent is  Antioch  College,  in  the  State  of  Ohio,  which 
was  for  several  years  under  the  presidency  of  the  Hon. 
Horace  Mann.  They  have  societies  in  most  of  the 
States,  and  comprise  nearly  200,000  communicants,  and 
have  upwards  of  2,000  preachers. 


HISTORY   OF  ALL   RELIGIONS.  823 


SPIEITUALISM. 

THE  advocates  of  Spiritualism,  in  the  modern  accep- 
tation of  the  term,  comprise  those  who  believe  in  the 
actual  and  open  intercourse  or  communication  between 
the  inhabitants  of  earth,  and  those  who  have  passed  to 
the  spirit  world.  The  phenomena  of  modern  Spiritualism 
seems  to  have  assumed  a  form,  and  attracted  attention  in 
the  year  1848,  in  what  has  been  known  as  the  "  Fox 
Family,"  in  the  western  part  of  the  State  of  New  York. 
Commencing  with 'audible  sounds  and  mysterious  rap- 
pings  in  the  house  of  the  Fox  family,  the  manifestations 
increased  in  variety  and  character,  and  developed  with 
wonderful  rapidity,  not  only  in  different  families  in  that 
locality,  but  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  especially  in  the 
northern  and  western  States.  Mediums,  through  whom 
these  manifestations  were  said  to  occur,  multiplied  by 
hundreds,  and  were  from  all  classes — the  high  and  low, 
the  rich  and  poor,  the  ignorant  and  learned.  The  phe- 
nomena assumed  various  forms  of  development,  from 
raps  and  sounds,  and  the  moving  of  ponderable  bodies 
without  visible  contact,  to  the  alleged  perfect  control  of 
the  medium  by  the  spirit,  and  through  him  or  her  to 
speak,  or  write,  as  the  will  and  intelligence  of  the  spirit 
might  dictate.  People  from  all  classes  of  society,  and 
from  all  religious  denominations,  were  attracted  by  the 
new  phenomena,  and  in  a  short  time  the  subject  was 
one  of  prominent  discussion  in  the  press,  and  in  public 
and  private  assemblies,  while  the  actual  converts  to 
Spiritualism  included  men  of  science,  literature,  and 
philosophy,  and  from  all  the  learned  professions.  In 
1859  the  "Spiritual  Register"  estimated  that  there 
were  no  less  than  1,500,000  of  Spiritualists  in  America 
and  4,000,000  more  who  had  faith  in  the  doctrines  in  a 
greater  or  less  degree.  They  have  published  many 
books  upon  subjects  connected  with  their  theory  and 
doctrines,  and  have  some  twenty -five  or  thirty  pe- 


324  HISTORY  OP   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

riodicals  and  journals.  In  various  parts  of  Europe,  es- 
pecially England  and  France,  there  are  also  many  be- 
lievers in  Spiritualism,  and  several  journals  devoted  to 
the  subject  are  there  published. 

While  Spiritualists  are  united  in  their  belief  as  to  in- 
telligible intercourse  between  the  earthly  and  the  spir- 
itual states  of  existence,  they  have  no  regular  denomi- 
national organization  nor  written*  creed,  and  there  is 
great  diversity  of  opinion  among  them  on  theological 
questions.  Different  views  are  entertained  by  them  as 
to  the  character  and  merits  of  the  Bible.  They  do  not, 
however,  generally  regard  it  as  a  book  of  inspiration  in 
an  orthodox  sense;  but  accept  it  as  a  record  of  his- 
toric events  and  of  the  religious  views  and  experiences 
of  the  Jews  and  early  Christian s,  including  spiritual 
manifestations  etc.,  of  past  ages,  similar  in  kind  but  dif- 
fering in  form  and  degree  to  those  of  the  present  day. 
They  claim  that  the  phenomena  of  Spiritualism  furnish 
demonstrative  and  positive  proof  of  the  immortality  of  the 
soul,  and  believe  that  the  spirit  world  is  around  us  and 
blended  with  our  present  state.  They  regard  death  as 
a  change  by  which  the  individual  passes  from  earth 
life  to  life  in  the  spirit  world — retaining  all  his  mental 
powers  and  faculties — and  that  the  experiences  and  at- 
tainments of  the  present  life,  form  the  basis  or  founda- 
tion upon  which  he  commences  in  the  next.  That  this 
change,  instead  of  restricting  him  to  a  fixed  state,  really 
enlarges  his  sphere  of  liberty;  and  his  happiness  or 
misery  in  the  spirit  world,  as  in  this,  depends  on  the 
motives,  aspirations,  character,  and  conduct  of  the  indi- 
vidual. They  regard  Heaven  and  Hell  as  states  or  con- 
ditions— not  fixed  by  arbitrary  decree — but  the  natural 
results  of  the  organization,  the  manner  of  life  and  the 
surrounding  influences  of  each  person. 

Eegarding  man  as  the  offspring  of  an  Infinite  and 
perfect  Parent,  they  believe  in  the  progressive  tendency 
of  the  human  race,  and  that  the  ultimate  destiny  of  all 


HISTORY   OF   ALL   RELIGIONS.  325 

mankind  is  to  a  higher  life  and  continual  process  of  de- 
velopment in  knowledge  and  happiness. 

They  do  not  regard  communications  from  the  spirit 
world  as  being,  on  th#t  account,  infallible  truth — but 
that  they  will  in  that  respect,  depend  upon  the  nature 
and  the  motives,  good  or  bad,  of  the  minds  from  which 
they  emanate — and  the  mediums  through  which  they 
are  received — hence  they  should  be  accepted  as  truth 
only  when  they  are  found  to  be  in  harmony  with  the 
consciousness  and  reason  of  the  person  who  receives 
them. 

PAGANISM. 

PAGANISM  is  a  term  applied  to  those  who  worship 
and  adore  idols  and  false  gods,  and  who  comprise  about 
three  fifths  of  the  entire  population  of  the  world.  At 
one  time  or  another,  Paganism  has  existed  over  all  in- 
habitable parts  of  the  earth.  In  the  earlier  period  of 
the  world's  "history,  it  had  its  votaries,  not  only  among 
the  ignorant  and  weak,  but  the  most  powerful  nations 
of  the  earth,  and  those  who  occupied  the  foremost  rank 
in  law,  in  literature,  and  in  art,  were  devoted  to  the 
worship  of  the  creature  instead  of  the  Oreator.  At  dif- 
ferent periods,  and  by  different  nations,  almost  every 
thing  known  to  man,  whether  animate  or  inanimate, 
have  been  objects  of  worship.  The  sun,  moon,  and 
stars,  angels  and  demons,  and  spirits  of  the  departed, 
living  men  and  women,  all  kinds  of  animals,  birds,  rep- 
tiles, and  insects,  trees  and  plants,  rivers  and  mountains 
and  stones,  fire  and  air ;  and  besides  these,  images,  al- 
most without  number,  made  of  all  kinds  of  material, 
and  in  all  conceivable  forms,  have  received  the  adora- 
tion and  worship  of  countless  millions  of  the  past,  and 
are  receiving  the  homage  of  480.000.000  of  Pagans  in 
the  nineteenth  century. 

Among  the  ancients,  the  number  of  their  heathen 
temples  was  almost  without  limit,  and  in  their  magnifi- 


326  HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS. 

cence  and  splendor,  they  comprised  all  that  art  and 
munificence  could  bestow.  The  people  of  Rome,  at 
one  time,  worshipped  their  numerous  deities  in  four 
hundred  and  twenty-four  temples.  The  Greeks  had  no 
less  than  30,000  gods.  The  great  temple  of  Diana,  at 
Ephesus,  was,  in  size,  four  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet, 
by  two  hundred  and  twenty  feet;  with  one  hundred  mar- 
ble columns,  sixty  feet  in  height,  and  each  column  weigh- 
ing one  hundred  and  fifty  tons.  This  immense  edifice 
was  adorned,  inside  and  out,  with  the  greatest  profusion 
of  gold  and  costly  ornaments,  and  in  all  its  magnificence 
and  splendor,  this  wonderful  temple  was  devoted  to 
heathen  worship. 

Idols  of  worship,  at  the  present  time,  are  made  a 
lucrative  branch  of  merchandise,  by  a  class  of  manu- 
facturers and  traders  engaged  in  the  business,  as  seen 
by  the  following  advertisement  from  a  Chinese  news- 
paper: "Achen  Tea  Chin-Chin,  Sculptor,  respectfully 
acquaints  masters  of  ships,  trading  from  Canton  to 
India,  that  they  may  be  furnished  with  figure-heads  of 
any  size,  according  to  order,  at  one  fourth  of  the  price 
charged  in  Europe.  He  also  recommends  for  private 
venture,  the  following  idols,  brass,  gold,  and  silver : 
the  Hawk  of  Yishnoo,  which  has  reliefs  of  his  incarna- 
tion in  a  fish,  boar,  lion,  and  turtle.  An  Egyptian  apis, 
a  golden  calf  and  bull,  as  worshipped  by  the  pious  fol- 
lowers of  Zoroaster.  Two  silver  mammosits,  with 
golden  ear-rings ;  an  aprimanis.  for  Persian  worship ; 
a  ram,  an  alligator,  a  crab,  a  laughing  hyena,  with  a 
variety  of  household  gods  on  a  small  scale,  calculated 
for  family  worship.  Eighteen  months'  credit  will  be 
given,  or  a  discount  of  fifteen  per  cent,  for  prompt  pay- 
ment of  the  sum  affixed  to  each  article.  Direct,  China 
street,  Canton,  under  the  Marble  Ehinoceros  and  Gilt 
Hydra." 

It  is  gratifying  to  know  that  Paganism  is  gradually 
yielding  to  the  sublime  doctrines  of  Christianity,  and 
the  elevating  and  saving  influences  of  the  Christian  re- 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  327 

ligion  are  being  diffused  in  many  parts  of  the  heathen 
world ;  and  yet  "  the  harvest  truly  is  plenteous,  but  the 
laborers  are  few."  The  fact  that  so  many  millions  of 
unfortunate  human  beings  are  groping  their  way  in 
ignorance  and  superstition,  calls  loudly  to  Christian 
philanthropists  to  aid  in  rescuing  them  from  their  dark 
and  benighted  condition. 


PANTHEISM. 

PANTHEISM  is  that  doctrine,  or  system  which  main- 
tains that  the  universe  is  God — or  as  expressed  by 
Pope: 

"All  are  but  parts  of  one  stupendous  whole, 
Whose  body  Nature  is,  and  God  the  Soul." 

This  doctrine  has  had  its  advocates  in  this  country, 
as  well  as  by  Spinosa,  and  his  followers  in  Amsterdam, 
and  other  parts  of  Europe. 

Some  years  ago,  Abner  Kneeland,  of  Boston,  was, 
perhaps,  the  most  prominent  exponent  of  this  theory  in 
this  country.  In  his  "  Philosophical  Creed,"  he  explains 
his  views,  as  follows  : 

"  I  believe  in  the  existence  of  a  universe  of  suns  and 
planets,  among  which  there  is  one  sun  belonging  to  our 
planetary  system,  and  that  other  suns,  being  more  re- 
mote, are  called  stars ;  but  that  they  are  indeed  suns  to 
other  planetary  systems.  I  believe  that  the  whole  uni- 
verse is  NATURE,  and  that  the  word  NATURE  embraces 
the  whole  universe,  and  that  God  and  Nature,  so  far  as 
we  can  attach  any  rational  idea  to  either,  are  perfectly 
synonymous  terms.  Hence  I  am  not  an  Atheist,  but  a 
PANTHEIST;  that  is,  instead  of  believing  there  is  no 
God;  I  believe  that,  in  the  abstract,  all  is  God ;  and  that 
all  power  that  is,  is  in  God,  and  that  there  is  no  power 
except  that  which  proceeds  from  God.  I  believe  that 
there  can  be  no  will  or  intelligence,  where  there  is  no 
sense,  and  no  sense  where  there  are  no  organs  of  sense  , 


328  HISTORY  OF   ALL   EELIGIONS. 

and  hence,  sense,  will,  and  intelligence,  is  the  effect,  and 
not  the  cause,  of  organization.  I  believe  in  all  that 
logically  results  from  those  premises,  whether  good 
bad,  or  indifferent.  Hence,  I  believe  that  God  is  all  in 
all ;  and  that  it  is  in  God  we  live,  move,  and  have  our 
being ;  and  that  the  whole  duty  of  man  consists  in 
living  as  long  as  he  can,  and  in  promoting  as  much 
happiness  as  he  can,  while  he  lives." 


PEOTESTANTS. 

THIS  name  was  first  given  to  Martin  Luther  and  his 
followers,  and  to  those  who,  adhering  to  his  doctrines, 
in  1529,  protested  against  a  decree  of  Charles  V.,  and 
the  Diet  of  Spires,  making  an  appeal  to  a  general  coun- 
cil. The  name  is  now  applied  to  all  Christian  denomi- 
nations which  have  sprung  from  the  adoption  of  the 
principles  of  the .  Eefbrmation,  and  especially  distin- 
guishes them  from  the  Koman  Catholics. 


PUEITANS. 

THE  name  of  Puritan  was  originally  applied  as  a 
term  of  reproach  to  those  who,  in  the  reign  of  Queen 
Elizabeth,  dissented  from  the  established  church,  and 
professed  to  follow  the  pure  word  of  God,  in  opposition 
to  traditions,  creeds,  liturgies,  and  other  human  autho- 
rities. Although  the  name  was  first  applied  to  Presby- 
terians, it  was  also  used  to  designate  all  dissenters  from 
the  established  English  church.  Many  of  the  first  set- 
tlers of  JSTew  England  were  English  Puritans,  or  Dis- 
senters from  the  church  of  England,  who  were  also 
called  Independents.  They  comprised  a  highly  moral 
and  devoted  class  of  people,  but  they  were  very  exact- 
ing and  rigid  in  their  code  of  morals,  and  for  many 
years  manifested  towards  others  much  of  that  spirit  of 


HISTORY  OF  ALL  RELIGIONS.  329 

intolerance  and  severity  which  had  been  shown  toward 
themselves  and  their  ancestors  in  England. 


DEISM. 

DEISM  is  the  doctrine  of  those  who  believe  in  the 
existence  of  one  God,  who  is  an  eternal,  infinite,  inde- 
pendent, or  intelligent  Being  or  Deity ;  but  they  do  not 
believe  in  Eevelation.  They  claim  that  nature  and 
reason  are,  and  should  be,  their  only  and  true  guides 
in  moral  and  religious  matters,  and  reject  all  systems 
of  revealed  religion  as  being  false.  Some  Deists  believe 
in  a  future  state  of  existence,  while  others  reject  the 
doctrine  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  believe 
that  man's  existence,  like  that  of  the  lower  animals,  is 
limited  to  the  present  life. 


ATHEISM. 

AN  Atheist  is  one  who  does  not  believe  in  the  ex- 
istence of  a  God.  They  not  only  reject  all  revelation,  and 
all  forms  and  systems  of  revealed  religion,  but  deny 
the  existence  of  a  Creator  and  Supreme  Ruler  of  the 
universe.  Absurd  and  unreasonable  as  this  idea  is,  it 
has  had  its  advocates,  who  believed  that  all  things  exist 
and  occur,  simply  by  chance — without  law,  design,  or 
cause. 

YEZIDEES; 
OE,  WORSHIPPERS  OF  THE   DEVIL. 

THE  following  description  of  this  peculiar  class  of 
people,  is  given  in  an  interesting  work,  published  by 
Asahel  Grant,  M.D.,  a  medical  missionary  to  the  Nes- 
torians : 

'  Soon  after  leaving  the  ruins  of  Nineveh,  we  came 


830  HISTORY  OF   ALL   RELIGIONS. 

in  sight  of  two  villages  of  the  Yezidees,  the  reputed 
worshippers  of  the  devil.  Large  and  luxuriant  olive- 
groves,  with  their  rich  green  foliage,  and  fruit  just 
ripening  in  the  autumnal  sun,  imparted  such  a  cheerful 
aspect  to  the  scene  as  soon  dispelled  whatever  of  pen- 
sive melancholy  had  gathered  around  me,  while  treading 
upon  the  dust  of  departed  greatness.  Several  white 
sepulchres  of  Yezidee  sheiks  attracted  attention,  as  I 
approached  the  villages.  They  were  in  the  form  of 
fluted  cones  or  pyramids,  standing  upon  quadrangular 
bases,  and  rising  to  the  height  of  some  twenty  feet  or 
more.  We  became  the  guests  of  one  of  the-  chief  Yezi- 
dees, of  Baasheka,  whose  dwelling,  like  others  in  the 
place,  was  a  rude  stone  structure,  with  a  flat  terrace 
roof.  Coarse  felt  carpets  were  spread  for  our  seats  in 
the  open  court,  and  a  formal  welcome  was  given  us  ; 
but  it  was  evidently  not  a  very  cordial  one.  My  Turk- 
ish cavass  understood  the  reason,  and  at  once  removed 
it.  Our  host  had  mistaken  me  for  a  Mahometan, 
towards  whom  the  Yezidees  cherish  a  settled  aversion. 
As  soon  as  I  was  introduced  to  him  as  a  Christian,  and 
he  had  satisfied  himself  that  this  was  my  true  character, 
his  whole  deportment  was  changed.  He  at  once  gave 
me  a  new-  and  cordial  welcome,  and  set  about  supplying 
our  wants  with  new  alacrity.  He  seemed  to  feel  that 
he  had  exchanged  a  Moslem  foe  for  a  Christian  friend, 
and  I  became  quite  satisfied  of  the  truth  of  what  I  had 
often  heard — that  the  Yezidees  are  friendly  towards  the 
professors  of  Christianity. 

"  They  are  said  to  cherish  a  high  regard  for  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  of  which  clearly  they  have  some  corrupt 
remains.  They  practice  the  rite  of  baptism,  make  the 
sign  of  the  cross,  so  emblematical  of  Christianity  in 
the  East,  put  off  their  shoes,  and  kiss  the  threshold 
when  they  enter  a  Christian  church;  and,  it  is  said, 
they  often  speak  of  wine  as  the  blood  of  Christ ;  hold 
the  cup  with  both  hands,  after  the  sacramental  manner 
of  the  East,  when  drinking  it ;  and  if  a  drop  chance  to 


HISTORY  OF   ALL   RELIGION'S.  331 

fall  on  the  ground,  they  gather  it  up  with  religious 
care. 

"They  believe  in  one  supreme  God,  and,  in  some 
sense,  at  least,  in  Christ  as  a  Saviour.  They  have  also 
a  remnant  of  Sabianism,  or  the  religion  of  the  ancient 
fire- worshippers.  They  bow  in  adoration  before  the 
rising  sun,  and  kiss  his  first  rays  when  they  strike  on  a 
wall  or  other  object  near  them ;  and  they  will  not  blow 
out  a  candle  with  their  breath,  or  spit  in  the  fire,  lest 
they  should  defile  that  sacred  element.  Circumcision 
and  the  passover,  or  a  sacrificial  festival  allied  to  the 
passover,  in  time  and  circumstance,  seems  also  to  iden- 
tify them  with  the  Jews ;  and,  altogether  they  certainly 
present  a  most  singular  chapter  in  the  history  of  man. 

"  That  they  are  really  worshippers  of  the  devil  can 
only  be  true,  if  at  all,  in  a  modified  sense,  though  it  is 
true  that  they  pay  him  so  much  deference,  as  to  refuse 
to  speak  of  him  disrespectfully  (perhaps  for  fear  of  his 
vengeance)  ;  and  instead  of  pronouncing  his  name,  they 
call  him  the  '  lord  of  the  evening,'  or  '  prince  of  dark- 
ness ;'  also  '  Sheik  Maazen,'  or  '  Exalted  Chief.'  Some 
of  them  say  that  Satan  was  a  fallen  angel,  with  whom 
God  was  angry ;  but  he  will  at  some  future  day  be  re- 
stored to  favor,  and  there  is  no  reason  why  they  should 
treat  him  with  disrespect. 

"  The  Christians  of  Mesapotamia  report  that  the  Yezi- 
dees  make  votive  offerings  to  the  devil,  by  throwing 
money  and  jewels  into  a  certain  deep  pit  in  the  moun- 
tains of  Sinjar.  where  a  large  portion  of  them  reside ; 
and  it  is  said,  that  when  that  district,  which  has  long 
been  independent,  was  subjugated  by  the  Turks,  the 
pacha  compelled  the  Yezidee  priest  to  disclose  the 
place,  and  then  plundered  it  of  a  large  treasure,  the 
offerings  of  centuries.  The  Yezidees  here  call  them- 
selves Daseni,  probably  from  the  ancient  name  of  the 
district,  Dasen,  which  was  a  Christian  bishopric  in  early 
times.  Their  chief  place  of  concourse,  the  religious 
temple  of  the  Yezidees,  is  said  to  have  once  been  a 


332  HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGION'S. 

Christian  church  or  convent.    The  late  Mr.  Rich  speaks 
of  the  Yezidees  as  '  lively,  brave,  hospitable,  and  good 
humored,'  and   adds   that,  'under  the  British  govern 
ment,  much  might  be  made  of  them.7 

"  The  precise  number  of  the  Yezidees  it  is  difficult  to 
estimate,  so  little  is  known  of  them :  but  it  is  proba- 
ble that  we  must  reckon  them  by  tens  of  thousands,  in- 
stead of  the  larger  computations  which  have  been  made 
by  some  travellers,  who  have  received  their  information 
merely  from  report.  Still  they  are  sufficiently  nume 
rous  to  form  an  important  object  of  attention  to  the 
Christian  church ;  and  I  trust,  as  we  learn  more '  about 
them,  sympathy,  prayer,  and  effort,  will  be  enlisted  in 
their  behalf.  It  will  be  a  scene  of  no  ordinary  interest, 
when  the  voice  of  prayer  and  praise  to  God  shall  as- 
cend from  hearts,  now  devoted  to  the  service  of  the 
prince  of  darkness,  'the  worshippers  of  the  devil  1' 
May  that  day  be  hastened  on !" 


CHURCH  GOVERNMENT. 

THERE  are  three  principal  or  general  forms  of  church 
government ;  and  under  these  three  systems,  or  a  combi- 
nation of  parts  of  each,  all  Christian  churches  in  the 
world  are  governed. 

The  Episcopalian,  from  the  Latin  word  Episcopus, 
which  signifies  bishop,  is  the  form  which  embraces  by 
far  the  largest  number,  as  it  includes  the  Catholics, 
Episcopalian  and  English,  the  Greek  church,  and  the 
Methodist ;  while  the  Lutherans,  one  of  the  most  nume- 
rous of  Protestant  sects,  combines  the  Episcopalian  and 
the  Presbyterian  forms  in  its  church  government. 

The  name  Presbyterian  is  derived  from  a  Greek  word, 
which  signifies  Senior,  Elder,  or  Presbyter.  This  form 
is  adopted  by  those  who  hold  that  the  church  should 
be  governed  through  the  organization  of  Presbyteries, 
Synods,  and  General  Assemblies. 


HISTORY  OF  ALL   RELIGION'S.  333 

The  Congregational  form  of  church  government  is 
that  adopted  by  the  Coiigregationalists  and  some  other 
sects,  who  maintain  that  each  congregation  or  society  of 
Christians  is  and  should  be  independent  of  all  others 
in  its  ecclesiastical  power,  and  that  no  association  with 
any  other  society  or  church  organization  is  essential  or 
necessary  in  church  government. 


EELIGIONS  OF  THE   WORLD. 

THE  general  estimate,  so  far  as  can  be  determined,  is 
that  the  inhabitants  of  the  world  amount  to  800,000,000. 
No  nation  or  tribe  of  people  is  known  who  do  not 
believe  in  and  practice  some  form  of  worship — from 
the  lowest  and  most  repulsive  phase  of  Pagan  idolatry, 
up  through  all  gradations,  to  the  sublime  truths  of  Chris- 
tianity. The  following  division  of  the  inhabitants  of 
the  world,  as  they  exist  under  their  several  systems  of 
religion,  is  regarded  as  being,  in  round  numbers,  nearly 
correct : 

Jews, 2,500,000 

Mohammedans, 140,000,000 

Christians, 177,500,000 

Pagans, 480,000,000 


Population  of  the  world, 800,000,000 

The  following  sub-division  of  the  177,500,000  Chris- 
tians, may  also  be  regarded  as  nearly  accurate  : 

Greek  Christians, 32,500,000 

Protestants, .     .     .     65,000,000 

Roman  Catholics, 80,000,000 


Total  number  of  Christians, 177,500,000 


884  BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES. 


APPENDIX,— BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES. 


REV.  CHARLES  WADSWORTH. 

THE  pulpit  is  the  most  favorable  arena  for  the  cultiva- 
tion and  display  of  eloquence  which  the  usages  and  insti- 
tutions of  modern  times  present.  Whatever  other  disa- 
greeable incidents  may  attend  the  clerical  office,  the 
moment  a  preacher  ascends  the  pulpit,  he  occupies  for  the 
time  being  a  vantage  ground  and  an  eminence  above  the 
rest  of  the  community.  The  inherent  dignity  and  impor- 
tance of  the  subjects  which  he  is  called  upon  to  discuss ; 
the  direct  personal  interest  which  every  hearer  possesses 
in  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  the  doctrines  which  he  incul- 
cates, and  the  positions  which  he  assumes ;  the  immense 
influence  exerted  by  Christianity  upon  the  laws,  literature, 
social  life,  and  political  relations  of  the  community ;  the 
long  array  of  impressive  historical  associations  which  are 
connected  with  the  past  fortunes  and  vicissitudes  of  this 
most  ancient  and  potent  of  all  existing  institutions  ;  the 
fact  that  the  preacher  is  supposed  to  be  a  man  of  spotless 
character,  and  of  competent  intellectual  training  ;  and  also, 
the  circumstance  that  his  utterances,  whatever  they  may 
be,  remain  uncontradicted  and  uncontroverted  except  by 
the  secret  and  inaudible  dissent  of  the  hearer ;  — all  these 
reasons  often  render  the  Pulpit  the  throne  of  eloquence. 

The  Rev.  Charles  Wadsworth  is  the  pastor  of  the  Arch 
Street  Presbyterian  Church,  in  Philadelphia.  He  is  re- 
garded by  a  large  portion  of  the  community  as  stand- 
ing at  the  head  of  the  pulpit  orators  of  that  city ;  and 
this  estimate,  taking  all  things  into  consideration,  is 
probably  a  just  one.  Those  who  are  attracted  to  his 
church  by  his  widely-spread  fame  will  be  disappointed  if 
they  expect  to  see  a  polished,  graceful  and  ornate  speaker, 
who  modulates  his  voice,  who  moulds  his  gestures,  and 
who  arranges  the  details  of  his  attire,  with  all  the  scrupu- 
lous and  childish  care  of  a  boarding-school  miss.  He  de- 


BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES.  335 

spises  these  insignificant  matters  as  being  beneath  his  no- 
tice. He  deals  in  weightier  affairs.  The  visitor  will  see 
in  the  pulpit  a  man  of  small  stature,  about  forty-three 
years  of  age,  with  thin  black  hair,  wearing  gold  spectacles, 
of  singular  and  significant  physiognomy,  exhibiting  the 
care-worn  marks  of  thought,  the  dilapidating  physical  ef- 
fects of  protracted  and  intense  study.  His  gestures  are 
usually  made  in  violation  of  all  the  rules  which  teachers 
of  elocution  enjoin  and  commend  as  being  most  appropriate 
and  effective:  they  are  wholly  impulsive,  seeming  to  be 
merely  the  spasmodic  effects  of  the  electrical  impetus  of 
the  powerful  thinking-machine  which  works  within  him ; 
and  they  are  generally  awkward,  but  always  suggestive, 
and  sometimes  impressive.  As  the  hearer  watches  and 
listens,  he  discovers,  while  the  speaker  is  advancing  in 
the  discussion  of  his  subject,  that  he  is  an  original  and  a 
profound  thinker,  whose  eloquence  is  solely  the  unadorned 
eloquence  of  thought ;  that  the  deep  and  overwhelming  ef- 
fect produced  on  the  hearer's  mind  is  the  result  of  the 
boldness,  the  freshness,  the  gorgeous  richness,  the  quaint, 
lurid,  meteoric  quality  and  splendor  of  those  conceptions 
which  the  speaker  has  gathered  in  his  intellectual  rambles 
in  realms  unfamiliar  and  unknown  to  the  generality  of 
mortals,  and  has  reproduced  in  his  pulpit.  Some  of  Mr. 
Wads  worth's  thoughts  are  like  thunderbolts,  gleaming, 
glittering,  far-flashing  to  and  fro  through  the  intellectual 
heavens ;  and  no  beholder  can  witness  one  of  these  in 
their  full  extent  and  power  without  remembering  the  im- 
pression produced  by  it  for  a  long  time  afterward.  It  is 
chiefly  this  quality  which  lies  at  the  foundation  of  Mr. 
Wadsworth's  fame  as  a  pulpit  orator.  He  is  also  original 
in  his  use  of  words,  and  is  very  felicitous  sometimes  in  re- 
producing such  as  are  either  unused  and  unfamiliar,  or  are 
perhaps  entirely  unknown ;  and  this  peculiarity  gives  that 
freshness  to  his  sermons  which  always  renders  them  a 
treat  when  compared  with  the  tame,  arid  and  uninteresting 
effusions  which  frequently  characterize  the  pulpit. 

We  may  illustrate  a  portion  of  this  remark  by  an  ex- 


336  BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES. 

ample.  "What  could  be  more  refreshing  than  a  paragraph 
like  the  following,  taken  from  his  published  sermon  on 
"  Development  and  Discipline :" 

"  Here  is  a  man — it  may  be  truly  a  Christian — whose 
earthly  life  is  full  of  gladness  and  glory :  his  dwelling- 
place  is  a  palace  ;  his  name  is  a  power  in  the  land's  lan- 
guage ;  fair  and  fond  children  love  him ;  honorable  men 
honor  him  ;  no  corroding  sorrow  tortures  his  heart ;  no  in- 
satiate ambition  embitters  his  life-spring ;  a  happy  and 
joyous  man  he  is  on  earth.  Now,  though  this  man  may 
be  a  Christian,  he  is  not  ready  to  die.  So  rich  and  fair 
in  its  coloring  falls  round  him  this  massive  curtain  of 
things  temporal,  that  even  the  revealed  lustres  of  eternity 
shine  but  faintly  through ;  and  if  the  fire-car  which  came 
for  Enoch  and  Elijah  should  descend  visibly  to  his  portal, 
Oh  !  it  would  be  almost  with  the  recoil  of  a  breaking  heart 
that  he  looked  the  last  on  his  princely  possessions,  and 
said  'farewell*  to  his  beloved  household,  and  flung  the 
reins  loose  on  the  winged  coursers,  turning  his  face  for- 
ever from  the  earthly,  and  rushing  up  to  the  skies." 

Truly,  if  such  a  magnificent  passage  as  this — and  Mr. 
Wadsworth's  sermons  abound  with  them — were  declaimed 
by  an  accomplished  elocutionist,  the  effect  produced  would 
be  overwhelming.  But  it  must  be  admitted  that  Mr. 
Wadsworth's  peculiar  and  pointless  delivery  often  weakens 
the  power  with  which  such  majestic  thoughts  are  always 
pregnant.  If  some  modern  Whitefield,  or  some  living 
Bascom,  were  to  deliver  a  few  of  his  sermons  as  they 
should  be  delivered,  it  would  be  an  intellectual  luxury 
which  is  enjoyed  but  once  in  a  cycle  of  ages,  and  would 
revive  the  palmy  era  of  a  Chalmers  and  a  Robert  Hall. 

What,  then,  are  Mr.  Wadsworth's  defects  ?  We  answer, 
a  monotonous  and  tiresome  tone  of  voice ;  a  mumbling  of  his 
words,  by  which  he  fails  to  expel  their  articulation  beyond 
his  teeth — a  peculiarity  which  frequently  deprives  his  origi- 
nal and  expressive  nomenclature  of  half  its  effect ;  and  as 
his  words  are  the  vehicles  which  convey  his  thoughts,  this 
peculiarity  deadens  and  weakens  the  impression  which  his 


BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICES.  337 

conceptions  would  otherwise  constantly  make  upon  the 
hearer. 

The  construction  of  Mr.  Wadsworth's  sermons  is  some- 
what peculiar.  It  has  both  its  merits  and  its  defects. 
The  affluence  of  his  ideas  leads  him  to  despise  all  tho  es- 
tablished rules,  according  to  which  the  homiletical  writers 
of  the  elder  schools  divided  and  subdivided,  framed  and 
fabricated,  their  sermons.  There  is  not  the  least  resem- 
blance between  his  productions  and  those  sermons  which 
harmonize  with  the  rules  of  Simeon,  or  the  examples  of 
Dwight,  in  which  the  various  formal  heads  and  sub-heads 
amount  to  some  fifteen  or  twenty.  But  he  seizes  three  or 
four  of  the  chief  thoughts  contained  in,  or  suggested  by, 
the  text,  and  expounds  and  illustrates  them  after  his  own 
fashion,  in  utter  indifference  to  all  that  Porter  or  Gresley 
may  have  enjoined  in  their  manuals  on  Homiletics.  This 
plan  of  sermonizing  may  do  very  well  for  men  of  such 
superior  talent  as  Mr.  Wadsworth ;  but  it  would  be  very 
injudicious  for  the  great  majority  of  preachers,  whose  intel- 
lects are  barren,  and  whose  thoughts  are  commonplace.  To 
such  men  as  the  latter  the  various  subdivisions  of  a  dis- 
course are  indispensable  helps,  and  enable  them  to  fill  out 
the  requisite  amount  of  matter,  of  which  they  would  other- 
wise be  incapable. 

REV.  J.  B.  DALES. 

THE  Rev.  Dr.  Dales  is  pastor  of  the  Associate  Reformed 
Church,  in  Race  street,  in  Philadelphia.  He  is  a  native 
of  Pennsylvania,  and  is  about  forty-eight  years  of  age. 
The  denomination  to  which  he  belongs  is  one  of  that  cluster 
of  minor  Presbyterian  Churches  which  have  separated 
from  time  to  time  in  Scotland  from  the  great  Presbyterian 
National  Church ;  some  of  which  have  afterward  divided 
and  subdivided  again  among  themselves,  until  the  magni- 
tude of  the  fragments  has  become  very  inconsiderable,  and 
the  doctrinal  differences  whereon  they  disagree  are  almost 
imperceptible.  T'hev  are  all  extreme  Calvinists.  A 
22 


338  BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICES. 

portion  of  them,  such  as  the  Seceders,  and  the  Associate 
Reformed,  use  no  hymns  in  public  or  private  worship,  ex- 
cept the  Psalms  of  David,  as  originally  translated  intc 
horrific  verse  hy  Rouse,  and  modified  from  time  to  time  by 
subsequent  ameliorations.  Quite  recently  a  union  has 
been  effected,  by  the  Synods  at  Pittsburg,  between  tho 
Associate  Reformed  Church  to  which  Dr.  Dales  belongs,  and 
the  body  known  as  the  Seceder,  or  Associate  Church ;  and 
this  new  denomination  is  now  and  henceforth  to  be  known 
by  the  title  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church.  Their 
doctrines  remain  unchanged.  These  are  in  substance  the 
same  as  those  of  the  Old  School  Presbyterian  denomina- 
tion ;  but  they  differ  from  these  in  matters  of  public  wor- 
ship. Some  of  them  go  so  far  as  to  insist  that  the  use  of 
Watts'  hymns,  or  any  other  uninspired  composition,  in  the 
public  or  private  worship  of  God,  is  idolatry  or  blasphemy. 
None  of  these  churches  permit  the  use  of  choirs.  A  pre- 
centor, whose  performances  rarely  rival  the  artistic  skill 
of  Mario  or  Brignoli,  leads  the  singing,  and  he  is  usually 
well  supported  by  the  congregation. 

Dr.  Dales  has  been  pastor  of  his  present  church  for 
some  eighteen  or  twenty  years.  His  congregetion  is  a 
portion  of  the  same  to  whom  Mr.  Chambers  originally 
officiated  in  Thirteenth  street,  above  Market,  previous  to 
the  secession  which  led  to  the  erection  of  the  present 
church  of  that  gentleman  on  Broad  street.  It  was  origi- 
nally known  as  the  Ninth  Presbyterian  Church,  and  was 
built  in  1814.  An  old  lady  named  Margaret  Duncan, 
who  for  many  years  had  been  a  shop  keeper  in  this  city, 
left  a  sum  of  money  by  her  last  will,  together  with  the  lot 
in  Thirteenth,  above  Market,  for  the  purpose  of  erecting  a 
church.  Mrs.  Duncan  was  herself  a  member  of  the  Se- 
ceder denomination,  and  her  intention  doubtless  was  that 
the  building  constructed  by  her  bounty  should  be  connected 
with  the  same  body.  It  is  said  that,  whilst  upon  her 
passage  to  this  country,  she  encountered  at  sea  a  storm  of 
fearful  violence,  and  the  vessel  was  threatened  with  cer- 
tain destruction ;  but  that  she  made  a  vow  that,  should 


BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICES.  839 

she  escape  a  watery  grave,  she  would  testify  her  gratitude 
for  her  preservation  by  erecting  a  church  for  the  worship 
of  God,  should  she  ever  possess  the  means  so  to  do.  The 
vessel  outrode  the  tempest ;  Mrs.  Duncan  was  saved ;  and 
after  many  years  she  fulfilled  her  promise  as  aforesaid. 
Recently,  the  congregation  of  Dr.  Dales  have  sold  their 
former  property,  and  erected  the  church  in  which  he  now 
preaches,  in  Race  street,  below  Sixteenth.  The  official 
connection  of  the  congregation  and  pastor  is  with  the 
United  Presbyterian  Church. 

This  new  edifice  is  a  large,  commodious,  and,  in  many 
respects,  a  handsome  one.  Simplicity  and  plainness  are 
generally  regarded  by  the  denomination  to  which  Dr. 
Dales  belongs  as  proper  and  essential  qualities  in  the  con- 
struction of  houses  of  worship.  They  regard  all  unneces- 
sary ornament  as  unbecoming ;  and  look  upon  the  Gothic 
and  other  antique  styles  of  architecture  as  inappropriate 
to  places  used  for  the  service  of  God,  and  as  approxima- 
tions to  the  horrid  abominations  of  Rome.  But  in  this 
instance  the  congregation  seem  to  have  made  an  innova- 
tion, and  have  introduced  a  degree  of  ornament  into  their 
new  edifice,  which  is  an  anomaly  among  the  other  Associate 
Reformed  Churches  in  this  country.  Stained  windows  are 
even  used  in  the  building,  which,  could  old  Margaret  Dun- 
can arise  from  her  sunken  grave  and  see,  we  fear  she 
would  condemn  in  no  very  equivocal  terms.  The  whole 
arrangement  of  this  church  is  convenient  and  pleasing, 
with  one  solitary  exception.  This  is  the  singular  and 
shapeless  top-knot  or  frontispiece  which  surmounts  the 
roof  in  front,  and  is  in  itself  a  most  detestable  deformity. 
What  it  resembles,  what  it  is  intended  to  represent,  or 
what  use  it  is  supposed  to  accomplish,  we  cannot  divine ; 
but  certain  it  is,  that  it  is  an  injury  to  the  appearance  and 
beauty  of  the  otherwise  chaste  and  elegant  building. 

One  very  commendable  peculiarity  of  the  large  congre- 
gation who  worship  here  is  the  fact  that  they  generally 
join  heartily  and  devoutly  in  the  singing.  It  is  bad 
enough  when  the  whole  musical  part  of  the  divine  worship 


340  BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICES. 

is  executed  by  three  or  four  operatic  singers,  who  are  paid 
so  much  per  day  for  their  performances ;  in  whose  singing 
there  is  not  a  particle  of  devotion ;  and  who  are,  themselves, 
as  is  sometimes  the  case,  persons  of  notoriously  immoral 
lives.  In  such  instances  it  is  bad  enough  when  no  person 
in  the  congregation  praises  God  except  these  musical  hire- 
lings— for  such  music  and  such  singing  must  be  as  great 
an  abomination  to  the  Deity  as  is  the  wicked  prayer  of  a 
wicked  man.  But  the  case  is  still  worse  when  there  is  but 
a  single  singer  or  precentor,  who  "  does"  the  hymn  while 
the  whole  congregation  listen  aloof,  curiously  or  negli- 
gently, and  take  no  part  whatever  in  the  exercise,  which 
thus  becomes  a  feeble  and  preposterous  solo.  Dr.  Dales' 
congregation  neither  use  an  operatic  choir,  nor  permit 
a  solo  performance.  They  all  join  heartily  and  solemnly, 
after  the  good  old  Scotch  fashion  in  the  exercise  of  singing. 
As  an  orator  Dr.  Dales  is  peculiar.  He  is  an  excellent 
sermonizer.  His  discourses  are  systematic  in  their  struc- 
ture ;  they  exhibit  clear  evidence  of  the  possession  of  much 
more  than  ordinary  learning ;  and  they  are  rendered  valuable 
and  instructive  by  the  frequent  introduction  of  appropriate 
proof-texts.  His  language  is  choice  and  appropriate ;  and 
this  is  the  more  remarkable,  as  he  usually  extemporises 
from  well  prepared  memoranda  or  skeletons.  Nor  is  the 
subject  matter  of  his  sermon  dry  and  tasteless,  as  is  too 
often  the  case  with  preachers  of  his  denomination.  He 
possesses  a  considerable  share  of  imagination.  He  uses 
tropes  and  figures  ;  he  even  employs  them  appropriately 
and  effectively ;  and  his  manner  of  delivery  is  such  as  to 
increase  the  impression  which  they  produce.  He  com- 
mences his  discourse  slowly  and  almost  inaudibly ;  but  as 
he  progresses,  he  increases  in  fervor  and  in  excitement. 
He  gesticulates  with  singular  appropriateness  and  pro- 
priety; and  when  he  arrives  at  the  argumentative  part  of 
his  sermon,  he  reasons  with  clearness  and  power.  His 
sermons  exhibit  unusual  symmetry  of  construction,  and 
they  generally  go  regularly  through  the  formal  yet  judi- 
cious routine  of  introduction,  division,  narration,  argument, 


BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICES.  341 

illustration  and  conclusion.  Nor  does  this  formality  seem 
tedious,  for  he  possesses  the  ability  to  render  each  part 
interesting  and  instructive. 

Nevertheless,  these  superior  merits  are  rendered  almost 
useless  by  one  defect,  which  is  radical  and  ruinous,  but 
over  which,  unfortunately,  he  has  no  control.  He  has  the 
worst  voice  of  any  public  speaker  to  whom  we  have  ever 
listened.  We  believe  he  has  suffered  from  bronchial  dis- 
ease, and  the  result  is,  that  his  vocal  organ  is  one  which 
would  condemn  even  Demosthenes  himself.  It  is  difficult 
to  describe  it,  for  there  is  scarcely  anything  of  it  to  describe. 
When  sparingly  used  by  him,  it  is  both  weak  and  screechy ; 
and  when  he  endeavors  to  speak  loudly,  it  almost  resembles 
the  echo  of  a  frantic  scream. 

KEY.  ALBERT  BARNES. 

THE  Rev.  Albert  Barnes  is  the  pastor  of  the  First  Pres- 
byterian Church,  located  on  Washington  Square,  Philadel- 
phia. He  has  occupied,  for  many  years,  a  prominent 
position  among  the  clergymen  of  Philadelphia ;  and,  in 
consequence  of  his  labors  as  an  author,  his  name  has  ex- 
tended throughout  many  distant  countries,  where  even 
the  existence  of  the  majority  of  his  associates  is  unknown. 

Mr.  Barnes  was  born,  we  believe,  at  Rome,  in  the  State 
of  New  York,  and  is  now  about  sixty  years  of  age. 
His  youth  was  passed  in  manual  labor ;  and  he  was  ap> 
prenticed  in  his  boyhood  to  learn  the  art  and  mystery  of 
a  miller.  He  had  scarcely  reached  his  majority,  when 
certain  infidel  notions  which  he  had  previously  imbibed 
were  exploded ;  he  became  pious,  and  determined  to  pre- 
pare himself  for  the  ministry.  This  purpose  he  carried 
into  effect  at  Princeton.  His  collegiate  and  theological 
course  having  been  completed,  he  was  ordained  as  a  cler- 
gyman by  the  Presbytery  under  whose  care  he  had  placed 
himself  and  had  been  studying.  His  first  pastoral  charge 
was  at  Morristown,  New  Jersey.  About  the  year  1830 
he  was  invited  to  become  pastor  of  the  church  with  which 


342  BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICES. 

he  is  now  connected,  and  to  which  he  has  laboriously  min- 
istered ever  since.  He  has  on  several  occasions  been  in- 
vited to  remove  to  other  posts  of  responsibility  and  honor, 
but  he  has  uniformly  declined.  Some  years  since  he  was 
elected  President  of  the  Auburn  Theological  Seminary ; 
but  he  preferred  to  retain  his  pastoral  position,  greatly  to 
the  gratification  of  the  members  of  his  congregation. 

Shortly  after  his  removal  to  Philadelphia,  Mr.  Barnes 
became  the  unintentional  cause  of  bitter  theological  dis- 
putes, and  eventually  of  a  great  ecclesiastical  schism,  in 
the  Presbyterian  Church.  This  event  took  place  in  1835. 
Until  that  period,  that  numerous  and  powerful  body  of 
American  Christians  had  remained  undivided  and  harmo- 
nious, at  least  so  far  as  outward  seeming  and  union  were 
concerned.  But  there  had  been,  during  many  years,  a 
difference  of  opinion  gradually  growing  among  their  mem- 
bers and  divines  in  reference  to  certain  theological  dogmas, 
especially  with  regard  to  those  points  which  are  distinct- 
ively termed  Calvinistic.  The  nature  of  the  divine  de- 
crees, the  doctrines  of  election,  reprobation,  free-grace, 
infant  damnation,  perseverance  of  the  saints,  and  similar 
theories,  which  form  the  central  points  of  the  Calvinistic 
or  Augustinian  system,  were  those  respecting  which  this 
difference  of  sentiment  among  Presbyterians  was  silently 
and  slowly  progressing.  How  long  that  diversity  might 
have  existed  in  the  church  without  producing  open  conflict 
and  a  public  schism,  it  would  be  difficult  to  say ;  but  Mr. 
Barnes  was  unconsciously  destined  to  become  the  apple  of 
discord  among  his  brethren.  He  prepared  and  published 
a  commentary,  or  practical  and  exegetical  notes,  on  the 
Gospels,  in  which  he  set  forth  his  peculiar  views  on  the 
points  just  mentioned.  These  views  were  what  might  be 
termed  liberal,  in  comparison  with  the  old  fossilized  theo- 
ries which  had  been  held  by  that  denomination  ever  since 
the  days  of  John  Knox  ;  and  the  great  exponent  of  which 
in  this  country  was  Jonathan  Edwards.  Mr.  Barnes,  in 
interpreting  certain  passages  of  the  Gospels,  gave  utter- 
ance to  opinions  which  were  at  once  stigmatized  by  some 


BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICES.  343 

of  his  brethren  as  new  school,  as  innovations,  as  uncalvin- 
istic  or  Pelagian,  as  heterodox  and  unchristian.  An  awful 
hue  and  cry  was  raised  against  him.  The  whole  country 
resounded  with  the  yells  of  an  indignant,  outraged,  impla- 
cable orthodoxy.  Calvin  himself,  when  burning  the  un- 
happy Servetus  at  Geneva  for  teaching  sentiments  which 
such  men  as  Milton,  Priestley,  and  Channing  have  since 
entertained,  could  not  have  been  more  ravenously  intent 
on  wreck  and  ruin,  than  were  some  of  the  persecutors  of 
Mr.  Barnes  for  inculcating  doctrines  which,  before  and 
since,  have  been  believed  and  taught  by  myriads  of  the 
most  excellent  of  men,  the  salt  of  the  earth, 

The  publication  of  Mr.  Barnes'  Notes  concentrated 
around  his  own  head  the  storms  which  had  been  brewing 
for  some  years  in  the  Presbyterian  body.  Already  had 
he  excited  censure  and  suspicion  by  publishing  a  sermon, 
in  February,  1829,  while  yet  residing  at  Morristown,  en- 
titled "  The  Way  of  Salvation,"  which  dimly  foreshadowed 
the  views  which  were  more  fully  expressed  in  his  Commen  < 
tary.  When,  therefore,  he  was  about  to  remove  to  Phila- 
delphia, as  the  successor  of  Dr.  Wilson,  a  portion  of  the 
congregation  objected  to  his  settlement  and  entered  their 
protest.  When  that  protest  was  overruled  against  the  dis- 
affected party,  and  after  Mr.  Barnes  had  been  duly  in- 
stalled by  the  Philadelphia  Presbytery,  a  formal  complaint 
was  made  to  that  tribunal  against  him  as  a  teacher  of 
heresy.  The  charges  were  not  prosecuted  for  some  time, 
as  the  assailants  of  Mr.  Barnes  were  fearful  lest  they 
might  be  discomfited  in  their  assault  upon  him,  by  a  greater 
and  wider  prevalence  of  his  views  among  his  clerical  breth- 
ren than  they  anticipated.  At  length,  however,  when 
Mr.  Barnes  published  his  "Notes  of  Romans,"  the  sup 
posed  bulwark  of  intensified  Calvinism,  wherein  his  inter- 
pretations were  more  bold,  free  and  clear  than  they  had 
previously  been,  his  opponents  became  frantic ;  a  hue  and 
cry,  louder,  fiercer,  hoarser,  than  before,  was  raised,  and 
they  proceeded  to  impeach  him  in  form,  as  being  guilty 
of  "  damnable  heresies." 


3-1:4  BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICES. 

The  controversy  which  ensued  occupied  the  attention 
of  the  church  during  the  progress  of  several  years.  A 
great  deal  of  learning,  eloquence,  and  acrimony  were  elici- 
ted on  both  sides,  which  furnished  another  and  a  memora- 
ble evidence  that  of  all  hatreds  the  odium  theologicum  is 
the  most  intense  and  unchristian.  The  Presbytery  voted 
on  the  question  of  heresy  in  July,  1835,  and  Mr.  Barnea 
was  acquitted.  The  Inquisitor  General,  Mr.  Junkin,  ap- 
pealed from  this  decision  to  the  Synod  of  Philadelphia, 
which  convened  at  York,  in  May,  1836.  By  that  body 
Mr.  Barnes  was  condemned,  and  suspended  from  all  the 
functions  of  the  ministry  until  he  should  furnish  evidence 
of  repentance.  But,  instead  of  repenting,  he  appealed 
from  the  Synod  to  the  General  Assembly,  which  subse- 
quently convened  at  Pittsburg.  By  that  body,  after  a 
full  hearing  and  protracted  argument,  his  appeal  was  sus- 
tained by  a  vote  of  134  to  94.  He  was  thus  reinstated  in 
the  ministry  and  in  his  church,  having  suffered  suspension 
during  a  year.  But  the  defeated  side  were  not  satisfied  ; 
and  the  trial  of  Mr.  Barnes  resulted  finally  in  the  entire 
splitting  of  the  Presbyterian  denomination  into  two  dis- 
tinct and  hostile  bodies,  then  and  since  known  as  the  Old 
and  New  School  churches. 

This  controversy,  in  which  Mr.  Barnes  was  the  central 
figure,  extended  his  fame  widely  and  familiarly  throughout 
the  country.  He  was  justly  regarded  by  all  as  the  stand- 
ard-bearer of  the  New  School,  and  by  many  as  the  martyr 
of  a  persecuting  party.  Others,  who  were  not  Presbyte- 
rian, either  Old  or  New,  admired  him  for  the  courage  with 
which  he  asserted  the  principle  of  rational  progress  and 
Christian  freedom  in  the  study  and  interpretation  of  the 
Scriptures.  Not  a  few  hated  him  as  the  teacher  of  false, 
pernicious,  and  detestable  heresies ;  nor  have  their  preju- 
dices yet  passed  entirely  away. 

Unconcerned  either  with  the  praise  or  the  censure  of  men, 
Mr.  Barnes  continued,  after  the  formal  settlement  of  this 
great  dispute,  to  devote  himself  to  the  performance  of  his 
pastoral  duties  and  to  the  completion  of  Exegetical  Notes 


BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICES. 

on  the  Scriptures.  The  church  of  which  he  was  and  still 
>.s  pastor,  is  a  very  large  one,  and  the  congregation  are 
numerous  and  intelligent.  As  a  preacher,  Mr.  Barnes  is 
peculiar  in  his  style.  He  makes  no  pretentions  to  oratory 
or  eloquence.  He  rarely  or  never  gesticulates,  and  he 
usually  stands  bolt  upright,  and  perfectly  still,  in  the  de- 
livery of  his  discourses.  This  was  more  especially  the 
case  when  he  preached  from  his  notes ;  for  since  the  failure 
of  his  eyesight,  and  his  inability  to  make  much  use  of  his 
pen,  his  extemporaneous  efforts  are  more  genial,  less  formal, 
and,  it  may  be  added,  more  acceptable  to  the  majority  of 
his  hearers.  His  sermons  possess  in  an  unusual  degree 
the  quality  of  thorough,  exhaustive  thinking.  Many  of 
them  are  doctrinal  discussions,  which  evince  a  mind  trained 
to  logical  reflection,  and  fully  competent  to  follow  out  all 
the  details  and  sequences  of  an  investigation.  When  he 
preaches  practical  sermons,  expressly  as  such,  he  exhibits 
deep  feeling  and  pious  earnestness.  His  volume  of  Prac- 
tical Sermons,  already  published,  are  characterized  by 
great  evangelical  fervor.  In  the  pulpit,  Mr.  Barnes  is 
well  adapted  to  edify,  instruct,  and  benefit  the  hearer ;  he 
never  charms  him  by  the  attractions  of  eloquence,  nor  by 
the  arts  of  the  rhetorician ;  but  he  often  enlightens  by 
more  than  ordinary  freshness,  depth,  and  thoroughness  of 
discussion. 

Mr.  Barnes  is  more  remarkable  as  a  writer  of  commen- 
taries than  in  any  other  intellectual  respect.  He  is  the 
most  voluminous  author  in  Philadelphia.  He  has  written 
notes  on  all  the  books  of  the  New  Testament,  and  on  Job, 
Daniel  and  Isaiah  in  the  Old  As  a  Biblical  critic  he 
has  considerable  merit ;  his  e  xpositions  being  generally- 
sound  and  safe.  In  point  of  critical  and  philologi- 
cal learning,  however,  he  will  not  compare  with  Moses 
Stuart,  or  Professor  Robinson,  in  this  country ;  or  with 
Tholuck,  Kuinoel,  or  De  Wette,  in  Germany.  His  ac- 
quaintance with  the  Oriental  languages  is  evidently  only 
such  as  it  became  necessary  for  him  to  acquire,  in  order 
to  read  and  appreciate  the  works  of  the  great  critics  who 


346  BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICES. 

have  already  commented  on  the  Scriptures,  and  to  make 
use  of  their  labors  in  compiling  his  own  writings.  But 
for  practical  purposes,  this  acquaintance  was  sufficient,  as 
is  evinced  by  the  popularity  which  his  comments  have  ob- 
tained throughout  the  religious  public,  both  in  this  country 
and  in  England.  People  talk  everlastingly  about  "  the 
learned  and  judicious  Hooker."  They  might  say  with 
equal  propriety  and  frequency,  "  the  laborious  and  useful 
Barnes." 

Yet  it  should  not  be  inferred,  from  the  fact  that  Mr. 
Barnes  has  written  so  much,  that  he  is  not  capable  of 
compact  and  logical  thinking.  In  his  controversy  with 
the  deposed  Episcopal  Bishop  Onderdonk,  on  Epis- 
copacy, he  reasoned  with  great  force,  clearness,  and  con- 
clusiveness.  In  his  Introduction  to  his  edition  of  Butler's 
Analogy,  he  produced  an  essay  not  unworthy  to  stand  by 
the  side  of  that  colossal  monument  of  logic  ;  and  it  admi- 
rably supplies  the  deficiencies  which  till  then  marred  its 
completeness.  Had  Mr.  Barnes  written  only  one-third  of 
what  he  has  accomplished,  his  fame  as  an  author  (but  not 
perhaps  his  usefulness)  would  stand  much  higher  than  it 
does,  because  mankind  are  always  disposed  to  infer  that 
when  a  writer  produces  so  much,  a  large  proportion  of  it 
must  be  of  inferior  quality.  In  general,  this  dictum  or 
judgment  is  true  ;  but  Mr.  Barnes  is  an  exception,  for  the 
most  part,  to  the  rule. 

The  personal  incidents  of  the  life  of  this  distinguished 
clergyman  are  few.  His  life  has  been  chiefly  passed  in 
his  study.  His  devotion  to  his  literary  labors  has  been 
rarely  equalled.  For  many  years  he  commenced  his 
studies  at  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  in  his  library  in 
the  church  in  which  he  preaches,  and  he  generally  con- 
tinued them  till  late  at  night.  On  one  occasion,  it  is  said 
that  a  new  watchman,  who  met  him  long  before  the  dawn 
of  day,  on  his  way  to  his  study,  carrying  a  bundle  of 
kindling  wood  in  his  hands,  regarded  him  as  a  suspicious 
person,  arrested  him,  and  retained  him  until  enlightened 
as  to  the  true  nature  of  the  case  and  the  real  character  of 


BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICES.  347 

his  victim.  A  real  thief  would  most  probably  have  not  been 
arrested  at  all,  or  would  have  been  compelled  merely  to 
divide  the  plunder  !  The  constant  devotion  of  Mr.  Barnes 
to  study  during  so  many  years,  resulted  in  the  serious  in- 
jury of  his  eye-sight.  Some  time  since  he  was  compelled 
to  suspend  his  labors  entirely.  He  embraced  the  oppor- 
tunity to  visit  Europe,  and  employ  the  most  competent 
medical  aid  there  accessible.  It  is  not  likely  that  he  will 
ever  be  able  to  resume  the  same  prodigious  habits  of  ap- 
plication which  he  practiced  during  so  many  years  ;  yet  he 
can  console  himself  with  the  reflection  that,  though  he  can- 
not claim  to  stand  beside  Robert  Hall  or  Edward  Irving 
as  a  preacher,  or  beside  Gesenius  and  the  younger  Rosen- 
muller  as  a  critic,  he  will  always  rank  honorably  and  emi- 
nently as  the  Matthew  Henry  of  his  country.* 

REV.  W.  H.  FURNESS. 

THE  Rev.  Dr.  Furness  is  the  most  distinguished  repre- 
resentative  in  Philadelphia  of  that  class  of  divines  to  whom 
the  term  "Liberal"  is  applied,  both  by  themselves  and  by 
the  general  custom  of  the  religious  public.  He  preaches 
in  the  Unitarian  Church,  at  the  corner  of  Locust  and  Tenth 
Streets ;  and  has  during  many  years  been  regarded  as  one 
of  the  most  intellectual  and  cultivated  of  the  Philadelphia 
clergy.  Notwithstanding  the  large  amount  of  prejudice 
which  the  "  Orthodox"  churches  have  always  entertained, 
and  do  still  entertain,  against  what  they  term  heterodox 
denominations,  all  have  concurred  in  rendering  a  just 
tribute  of  esteem  and  respect  for  this  clergyman  person- 
ally. 

Dr.  Eurness  was  born  at  Boston,  Massachusetts,  in  1802, 
and  was  educated  at  Cambridge  University.  Having  ter- 
minated his  course  of  studies,  he  visited  Philadelphia  in 
the  summer  of  1824,  and  preached  a  series  of  trial  ser- 
mons to  those  few  Unitarians  who  then  constituted  the 
society  in  that  city.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  series,  he 
was  invited  to  become  the  regular  pastor  of  the  church ; 

*  Mr.  Barnes  died  early  in  1871. 


348  BIOGRAPHICAL  NOTICES. 

he  accepted  the  invitation,  and  was  ordained  in  June,  1825, 
to  the  office  which  he  still  retains.  Thus  thirty-three 
years  have  elapsed  since  the  connection  of  Dr.  Furness 
with  his  present  church  began ;  and  it  is  probable  that  he 
is  one  of  the  oldest  settled  ministers  in  Philadelphia. 
This  church  is  the  most  ancient  professedly  Unitarian  so- 
ciety in  the  United  States ;  and  as  such  it  possesses  more 
than  ordinary  historical  interest.  It  was  commenced  sixty- 
two  years  ago,  in  1796  ;  and  was  composed  at  first  of  four- 
teen members,  most  of  whom  were  natives  of  England,  and 
men  of  wealth,  who,  finding  themselves  in  the  new  world 
where  all  the  existing  denominations  differed  fundamen- 
tally in  their  views  from  themselves,  resolved  to  organize 
a  church,  and  conduct  religious  services  in  accordance 
with  their  own  convictions. 

A  short  time  previous  to  the  adoption  of  this  resolution, 
Dr.  Joseph  Priestley,  the  celebrated  English  philosopher 
and  theologian,  had  removed  to  this  country ;  having  been 
driven  from  his  home  at  Birmingham,  and  his  residence 
destroyed,  by  the  insane  violence  of  a  popular  tumult. 
Having  located  himself  at  Northumberland  in  this  State, 
he  occasionally  visited  Philadelphia.  Great  and  enlight- 
ened as  he  was,  he  was  still  the  object  of  universal  preju- 
dice even  here.  His  co-religionists  in  Philadelphia  alone 
regarded  him  with  the  respectful  consideration  which  he 
deserved ;  and  by  his  advice,  and  under  his  direction,  the 
fourteen  Unitarians  already  alluded  to  combined  together 
in  the  organization  of  a  church.  It  is  said  that  Dr. 
Priestley's  autograph  appears  among  the  signatures  of  the 
first  members  of  the  society,  and  he  no  doubt  assisted  in 
the  public  services  of  the  congregation  whenever  he  visited 
Philadelphia.  These  exercises  were  carried  on  during 
some  years  by  the  members  of  the  society,  it  being  impos- 
sible for  them  at  that  time  to  procure  the  services  of  a 
Unitarian  minister.  So  great  was  the  prejudice  then 
prevalent  in  the  community  against  those  who  believed  in 
the  unity  of  the  Supreme  Being,  that  it  was  with  great 
difficulty  that  the  infant  church  could  even  procure  a  place 


BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICES.  349 

for  public  worship.  At  length,  in  1813,  they  purchased 
the  lot  upon  which  the  present  edifice  stands,  and  erected 
an  octagonal  building  upon  it,  capable  of  accommodating 
several  hundred  people.  In  1822  the  congregation  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  the  occasional  ministrations  of  students 
of  divinity  from  the  theological  department  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Cambridge.  This  arrangement  continued  until  the 
arrival,  the  preaching,  and  the  permanent  settlement  of 
Dr.  Furness,  at  the  period  already  referred  to.  From 
that  date  until  the  present,  during  a  long  lapse  of  tran- 
quil years,  he  has  devoted  himself  to  the  quiet,  regu- 
lar and  unobtrusive  performance  of  his  pastoral  and  pulpit 
duties. 

For  twenty  years  after  the  formation  of  the  Unitarian 
Church  in  Philadelphia,  there  was  no  similar  organization 
throughout  the  United  States.  Even  at  Boston,  which 
has  since  become,  and  now  is,  the  head-quarters  of  Liberal 
Christianity  in  the  United  States,  there  was  no  open  avowal 
of  Unitarianism,  and  no  professedly  Unitarian  Church 
until  1810.  At  this  period  the  church  known  as  King's 
Chapel,  in  Boston,  was  ministered  to  by  two  clergymen, 
Dr.  Freeman  and  Mr.  Carey,  men  of  learning  and  piety, 
who  had  become  convinced  of  the  absolute  unity  of  the 
object  of  divine  worship,  had  boldly  taught  that  doctrine 
from  the  pulpit,  and  had  brought  over  the  majority  of 
their  members  to  a  harmony  of  opinion  with  themselves. 
Gradually  the  number  of  converts  increased ;  this  new  or 
old  doctrine,  this  heretical  or  divinely  taught  opinion,  just 
as  you  choose  to  consider  it,  spread  more  and  more  through 
the  churches  of  Boston,  through  Massachusetts,  through 
New  England,  and  through  other  States  of  the  Union,  un- 
til it  now  comprises  among  its  members  a  large  portion  of 
the  most  intelligent  and  cultivated  part  of  the  community; 
sending  forth  from  year  to  year,  from  Cambridge,  the 
chief  University  in  the  land,  men  of  science,  men  of  elo- 
quence, men  of  piety,  to  promulgate  the  doctrines  which 
they  have  there  imbibed  and  adopted. 

At  the  period  of  the  arrival  of  Dr.  Furness  in  Philadel- 


350  BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICES. 

phia,  his  position,  as  one  of  the  few  Unitarian  pastors  in 
this  country,  was  a  very  difficult  one.  The  religious  pub- 
lic even  at  that  time,  regarded  a  Unitarian  with  about 
that  same  sort  of  indefinable  horror  and  nameless  dread 
with  which  the  most  extreme  and  radical  infidels  are  now 
esteemed  by  the  majority  of  them.  Shortly  before  that 
period  a  controversy  had  taken  place  in  Boston  in  refer- 
ence to  this  new  doctrine,  and  its  apprehended  ravages 
in  that  neighborhood,  in  which  Dr.  Channing  had  great- 
ly distinguished  himself ;  and  although  he  defended  the 
Unitarian  views  with  superior  learning,  with  rare  amia- 
bility, and  with  unrivaled  eloquence,  the  Orthodox  com- 
munity far  and  near  united  in  condemning,  excommu- 
nicating, and  repudiating  the  persons  and  the  opinions  of 
those  who  chose  to  interpret  strictly  that  saying  of  Scrip- 
ture :  "  Hear,  0  Israel,  the  Lord  our  God  is  one  Lord." 
Mr.  Furness  incurred  his  full  share  of  this  prejudice.  He 
was  then  but  in  his'  twenty- second  year,  and  his  position 
required  great  circumspection  and  prudence.  He  proved 
himself  fully  equal  to  the  task  which  he  had  assumed. 
Avoiding  the  noisy  clamors  of  controversy  and  all  unchari- 
table assaults  upon  the  opinions  and  prejudices  of  others, 
he  devoted  himself  to  his  duties,  and  preached  what  he  be- 
lieved to  be  the  truth,  whether  men  would  hear  or  forbear. 
This  course  he  has  pursued  during  many  years  with  signal 
success.  His  congregation  has  flourished ;  his  views  have 
gradually  become  more  and  more  disseminated ;  and  while 
other  churches  have  been  torn  and  distracted  by  innumer- 
able feuds  and  implacable  divisions,  his  society  has  ever 
been  strangers  to  the  distractions  of  party  and  the  miseries 
and  animosities  of  schism. 

As  a  preacher,  the  style  of  Dr.  Furness  is  peculiar.  At 
one  period  he  was  one  of  the  most  popular  clergymen  in 
this  city.  We  may  say  that  he  occupied  this  position  in 
spite  of  himself ;  for  no  man  would  seem  to  take  less  pains 
to  secure  the  notoriety  which  "fame's  obstreperous  trump" 
bestows,  than  he.  His  manner  of  preaching  is  quiet,  re- 
flective, subdued,  but  none  the  less  on  that  account  im- 


BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICES.  351 

pressive.  He  rarely  gesticulates ;  yet  his  manner  seems 
instinct  with  earnest  feeling,  which,  by  some  myste- 
rious process,  he  communicates  to  the  hearer.  His 
most  striking  quality  as  a  preacher  is  his  intellectuality. 
His  sermons  are  calm  embodiments  of  pure  thought. 
Frequently,  from  first  to  last,  they  are  continued  utterances 
of  unbroken,  instructive,  attractive  ratiocinations  on  re- 
ligious themes.  One  of  the  most  remarkable  peculiarities 
of  his  ministrations,  is  his  intense  and  never  ceasing  oppo- 
sition to  American  Slavery ;  and  he  embraces  every  oppor- 
tunity afforded,  erai  by  the  ordinary  services  of  the  pulpit, 
to  express  his  abhorrence  of  this  prominent  and  anomalous 
element  in  American  society  and  government. 

The  denomination  to  which  Dr.  Furness  belongs  entertain 
three  cardinal  principles  as  the  foundation  of  their  faith. 
The  first  is,  that  the  Scriptures  are  the  proper  source  of  reli- 
gious truth  and  knowledge.  The  second  is,  the  full  and 
unrestricted  right  of  private  judgment,  and  the  perfect 
freedom  of  the  human  mind,  in  the  interpretation  of  the 
contents  of  the  Scriptures.  The  third  is,  the  undeniable 
truthfulness  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Divine  Unity.  On 
minor  points  American  Unitarians  not  only  differ,  but  they 
expect  to  differ,  as  a  necessary  and  natural  result  of  the 
full  operation  of  the  second  of  the  preceding  canons  of 
belief.  This  right  of  private  judgment  in  religious  matters, 
was  the  great  principium  cognoscendi  of  the  Protestant 
Reformation  in  the  sixteenth  century ;  yet,  as  Unitarians 
say,  the  reformers  and  their  followers  do  not  carry  it  out 
to  its  legitimate  results,  but  annul  it  by  the  fabrication 
of  creeds  and  confessions,  and  other  theological  strait- 
jackets,  which  as  effectually  interfere  with  the  exercise  of 
private  judgment,  and  with  the  spirit  of  progress  and  de- 
velopment, as  did  the  decrees  and  persecutions  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church,  during  the  Dark  Ages.  Doubt- 
less, arguments  of  great  weight  may  be  urged  on  both  sides 
of  this  question ;  and  it  is  undeniable,  that,  if  the  unre- 
stricted freedom  of  private  judgment  favors  the  discovery 
and  development  of  truth,  it  has  on  the  other  hand  a  ten- 


C$52  BIOGRAPHICAL   NOTICES. 

dency  to  destroy  that  unity  and  harmony  of  sentiment 
which  some  Christians  regard  as  essential  elements  or 
characteristics  of  the  true  Church. 

KEY.  JOHN  WESLEY. 

JOHN  WESLEY,  the  founder  of  the  sect  of  the  Methodists. 
was  born  June  IT,  1703,  at  Epworth.  He  was  educated 
at  the  Charterhouse,  and  Christchurch,  Oxford,  and  was 
ordained  in  1725.  Naturally  of  a  devout  disposition,  he 
was  rendered  still  more  so  by  the  perusal  of  devotional 
treatises  ;  and,  in  conjunction  with  his  brother  Charles  and 
some  friends,  he  formed  a  religious  society,  to  the  members  of 
which  his  gay  fellow  collegians  applied  the  name  of  Method- 
ists. In  1735,  with  Charles  Wesley  and  other  missionaries, 
he  visited  Georgia  to  convert  the  Indians  ;  but  after  a  resi- 
dence of  less  than  two  years  in  the  colony,  during  which 
he  became  extremely  unpopular,  he  returned  to  England. 
In  1738  he  began  those  public  labors  which  ultimately  pro- 
duced such  prodigious  effects,  and  in  1739  the  first  meeting- 
house was  built  at  Bristol.  For  some  time  he  acted  in 
conjunction  with  Whitefield,  but  the  radical  difference  in 
their  opinions  at  length  produced  a  separation.  Over  the 
sect  which  he  had  founded,  Wesley  obtained  an  unbounded 
influence ;  and  it  must  be  owned  that  he  deserved  it  by 
his  unwearied  zeal  and  his  astonishing  exertions.  Two 
sermons  he  usually  preached  every  day,  and  often  four  or 
five.  In  the  course  of  his  peregrinations  he  is  said  to 
have  preached  more  than  forty  thousand  discourses,  and  to 
have  travelled  three  hundred  thousand  miles,  or  nearly 
fifteen  times  the  circumference  of  the  globe.  On  the  17th 
of  February  1791,  he  took  cold,  after  preaching  at  Lam- 
beth. For  some  days  he  struggled  against  an  increasing 
fever,  and  continued  to  preach  until  the  Wednesday  follow- 
ing when  he  delivered  his  last  sermon.  From  that  time  ho 
became  daily  weaker,  and  died  on  the  second  of  March, 
1791,  being  in  the  eighty-eighth  year  of  his  age,  and  the 
sixty  fifth  of  his  memorable  ministry. 


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